The Dallas Cowboys Have 99 Problems, Dez Aint One

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Dec 21, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver

Dez Bryant

(88) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the first quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Cowboys have 99 problems and Dez Bryant ain’t one. In fact, Bryant is Jerry Jones least problem now that he agreed to a five year, $70 million dollar contract with $45 million guaranteed. Cowboys Nation can breath now. They can exhale because the best WR in the league is locked up for a long time.

It would’ve been a bad problem because the Cowboys had a deadline to meet Bryant’s financial demands. If they weren’t met, Bryant had threaten to miss training camp and the first game of the season, if not more.

That would’ve been one huge problem.

Bryant held the Cowboys’ front office hostage and his ransom was more guaranteed money. Bryant wasn’t satisfied with the franchise tag, guaranteeing him $12.8 million for this season. Bryant never signed the one-year tender, either. There were reports he wanted anywhere between $40 to $44 million guaranteed.

He got $45 million guaranteed.

According to Todd Archer of ESPN NFL Nation, Bryant will receive a $20 million signing fully guaranteed. And Charean Williams of Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that Jones said “Dez Bryant has no special stipulations for off-field in his contract than any other recently signed veteran”.

And the Cowboys were way off, according to reports, before reaching this milestone with Bryant. Like $10 million.

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Are you kidding me? How in the hell were the Cowboys that far off in negotiations with the best WR in the NFL? Did they forget what Bryant meant to this offense? Did they not know he had more touchdowns in the last 3 years than any other WR (41)? Did they forget about his 56 TD’s and over 5,000 receiving yards in his first five years in the league?

Only behind Hall Of Famer Jerry Rice and future HOFer Randy Moss as the other WR’s accomplishing this feat.

Bryant already knew this. Evidently the Cowboys didn’t. The Cowboys wanted to play games, like calling his bluff because they believe he “so desperately” needed the money! Believing Bryant didn’t want to lose a single game check totaling over $700,000.

Well guess what Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones? You didn’t call his bluff and you all did one hell of a job rewarding Bryant. The Jones’s recognized playing the “bluffing game” wasn’t going to work.  Because Bryant was definitely going to miss  games because he’d proven himself as the best in the game and wanted respectable compensation.

He didn’t cry and moan for a new contract. He simply waited for the Cowboys to reward him for his hard work and success on the football field. And they did just that.

If the Cowboys hadn’t reached a long term deal with Bryant and he missed games, there wasn’t going to be a miracle season like 2014 where the Cowboys surprised everyone and went 12-4.

Without Bryant, the Cowboys were going to be a walking piece of mediocrity at best. No season ending finale to fight for a division crown. No heroic catches over helpless DB’s.

You definitely wouldn’t witness any WR destroying a DB for 3 TD’s without Bryant’s presence. Oh, and Tony Romo would not have had his favorite Red Zone threat.

This is what Dez does for the Cowboys: He requires a double team, which allows Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley and Jason Witten to make plays, he also prevents defenses from putting 8 men in the box and if a defense decides to stack the box, Bryant can beat any single coverage. Plus, double teaming Bryant opens up the running game.

Bryant makes defenses pick their poison. Defenses adjust to him, not the other way around.

Furthermore, the Cowboys would’ve missed his emotional leadership. Yes, as loud as he may be or as hype as he gets, that emotion reverberates throughout the whole team. Confidence breeds confidence. I know it makes Williams and Beasley more confident.

You don’t think Romo gets even more confident when he knows Bryant can catch anything he throws? Even the coaching staff becomes more confident because of Bryant.

Reports did surface yesterday that the Cowboys had reportedly offered Bryant over $13 million. There were reports that Bryant’s camp were calling for less than a 50/50 chance he’d sign by the deadline. I didn’t know what to believe.

I knew the Cowboys needed to pay Bryant what he was worth. If it were $14 million a year, so be it. I was fine with that. Because the Cowboys needed him.

And if Bryant had caved in and played under the franchise tag of $12.8 million, you can best believe that he would no longer trust the Cowboys’ brass and would want out at the end of the season. Because if he played better than the previous season, it would be hard to trust the Cowboys pay him what he’s worth. His market value would’ve been higher.

Common sense to Bryant. Period.

For all of the Cowboys’ fans out there on social media that believed this offense would have operated smoothly without Bryant, think again. Williams, Beasley, Devin Street and even the reliable Witten couldn’t replace Bryant’s production.

It’s one thing to get rid of DeMarco Murray because of his injury plagued history and financial demands. And then line up Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden behind the best offensive line in the NFL.

But it’s totally different not to have Bryant playing.

Jerry and Stephen knew this.

$70 million says so.

And the Cowboys might have 99 problems, but Dez Bryant ain’t one.

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