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Dallas Cowboys: Is there a chance Dez Bryant returns?

By Carl Daley

ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 19: Jaylon Smith #54 of the Dallas Cowboys and Dez Bryant #88 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrate on the sidelines after Smith's tackle against the Indianapolis Colts in the first quarter of a preseason game at AT&T Stadium on August 19, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 19: Jaylon Smith #54 of the Dallas Cowboys and Dez Bryant #88 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrate on the sidelines after Smith's tackle against the Indianapolis Colts in the first quarter of a preseason game at AT&T Stadium on August 19, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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The Dallas Cowboys have been adamant about showcasing their young talent, but is a reunion between Dez Bryant and the team likely?

The Dallas Cowboys have had a very tumultuous offseason. The team has seen multiple veteran players leave for a variety of reasons. Jason Witten retired, Orlando Scandrick was released, and Dez Bryant also got his walking papers.

Recently though, Jaylon Smith had a fairly interesting dream. In that dream, Smith saw Bryant with the team prior to Week One. Is this Jaylon’s subconscious telling us something we don’t know or is this just wishful thinking?

Dez Bryant is still a free agent and the Dallas Cowboys still can use all the help at wide receiver they can get. There are several reasons to make you think that the team would bring Bryant back into the fold. 

The first being just genuine need, the team needs a playmaker, and even though Bryant has not been that over the course of the last three seasons, he still is someone defenses would have to account for. 

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The second is that he has been a Cowboy for so long, it would feel pretty good to have him retire with the star on his helmet. The third being, he would most likely come at a more affordable price.

Even with all of those reasons listed, Dez Bryant will never be a Dallas Cowboy again. If you watched the Amazon documentary of the 2017 season, All or Nothing: With the Dallas Cowboys, you can see how Dez impacts the team as a whole.

It is not a great look for a player who is supposed to be a leader of the locker room. Bryant demanded the ball and that was a large reason behind why Dak Prescott had some many interceptions.

In fact, Dak had the highest number of pick-sixes in the NFL, a big reason behind that was Bryant’s inability to catch the ball cleanly. There was example after example of Prescott throwing an above average (if not perfect pass) to Bryant and the ball bouncing off of the veteran wide receivers fingertips.

Now I have to admit I am not opposed to seeing Bryant back, but those picks hurt. Bryant routinely let the ball bounce off of his hands into the waiting arms of a defender and still demanded the ball, something is wrong there.

Dak regressed only because his targets became complacent thanks to Bryant’s inability to 1. create separation and 2. defenses leaving him in single coverage. All of the easy balls Cole Beasley caught when he was a “surprise” in 2016 were gone last season.

Defenses rarely doubled Dez and they were not wrong for this tactic. Bryant could not get open no matter what he tried. Now even though there are rumors that Bryant has been working out every day rigorously to get back into his old form, what Dallas Cowboy fan will really believe that could ever happen?

The Cowboys would also have to cut another talented and young wide receiver from this group (that quite honestly has a lot of promise). Will it be odd not seeing an 88 on the field? Of course, but that does not mean we should be at this point in time.

Bryant’s numbers were sliding and the Dallas Cowboys front office recognized that and realized they had to cut the superstar. It was the only logical thing for the organization to do as they had to pay Zack Martin and eventually Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott.

Getting the most productive weapons around Prescott is paramount for his development heading into his third year. It would be impossible to judge the signal caller if his targets keep bobbling the ball and giving defenders more of a chance to make a play.

Next: Dallas Cowboys: Should the team trade for DeSean Jackson?

It is unlikely that any reunion occurs between Bryant and the Dallas Cowboys unless it is in Jaylon Smith’s dreams.

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