No Deal For Dez

(via AP PHOTO)

By Constantine Martin

Twitter: @gusmartin321

In April, the Dallas Cowboys cut one of its most talented players of the last decade, wide receiver Dez Bryant, after numerous quotes from him saying he wanted to be with the organization for the rest of his career.

This move, while some saw it as harsh, was welcomed by others who felt Bryant's on-field production over the past couple seasons was not substantial enough to counteract his reputation as a "distraction."

Although this decision was somewhat predictable, the most surprising aspect of this situation is the lack of interest from other teams in wanting to sign Bryant. Mainly fellow NFL players, like Pittsburgh Steelers star wideout Antonio Brown who tweeted at Bryant to come join his team a few days ago, are the ones supporting the former Cowboy star during his free agency.

Still, teams have not expressed much desire to acquire him.

Training camp has started, but that does not necessarily mean Bryant can't find a new home somewhere soon. There's no doubt he can still perform, however, teams have to be willing to deal with a few factors if they are to try and sap whatever is left in Bryant's tank.

The biggest "if" with Bryant is his impact to a team's chemistry and focus. He has had his fair share of off-the-field incidents throughout his career, but he seems to be in a better and more mature place in his life now. Even though, teams will have concern that he will act out again or negatively impact younger players on the team.

He has also been labeled as a disturbance on the sidelines during practice and games. Cowboys Executive Vice President Stephen Jones said on the team's podcast that Bryant's "fiery" nature "can be a distraction for other teammates." Professional athletes are known to be extremely competitive, so if an organization says someone is going overboard in that regard, then teams looking to sign Bryant certainly have cause for pause.

Concerning as they may be, the previously mentioned issues could be overlooked if Bryant were still an elite player, which he is no longer. He will be 30 in November, has already lost a step, and hasn't lived up to the five-year, $70 million contract he signed in 2015.

He earned that contract because he was a stud in the 2014 season and made first-team all-pro after totaling 88 receptions, 1,320 receiving yards and a league-leading 16 touchdowns. The next season he only played in nine games and hasn't been the same player ever since.

Bryant will never be a good number-one option in the NFL again. He's too old, slow and inconsistent. What he can and should do is concede his loss in ability and thrive in the role of a second or third option for a team.

He's still a large target, listed at 6'2" and 220lbs, so he can conceivably be at least a good red zone threat and situational pass catcher, even if he doesn't have the greatest hands. If he is willing to accept a lesser role and a more reasonable amount of money, I see no reason why he can't still be productive at the NFL level.

The problem is, who knows if Bryant is willing to let go of his superstar mindset. We all know Carmelo Anthony is struggling with that, so maybe Bryant is too.

One thing is for sure; Bryant can still be a useful receiver. Hopefully he can sign-on somewhere soon, because his window for adequate production is quickly shutting.