The Dallas Cowboys and Dez Bryant have been working on a new contract all offseason and reports have a deal imminent between the two sides and if they agree soon, it will keep bryant from holding out in training camp and potentially missing Week 1 of the season, which the wide receiver has threatened to sit out if a contract is not agreed to.
According to Pro Football Talk, the Cowboys and Bryant could be getting close to a deal, as reports have continued that the sides have moved along in the process. Mike Florio reports that "talk of an imminent" deal for Bryant "won't go away" and that the "latest rumors and reports" have a deal being announced on Monday potentially. Bryant and the Cowboys have reportedly been far apart leading into the latest round of talks, but clearly things have moved along heading into training camp.
Mike Fisher at Fox Sports reports that the Cowboys and Bryant have had movement on a deal and that there could be an announcement on an agreement soon. Fisher reports that sources close to the situation said that Bryant's "wait is almost over" and that things have move along so well "that there is discussion about announcing" a deal after the July 4 weekend. This has been the first real reporting (along with Florio and others, but meaning generally) during the Bryant negotiations that a deal is close to getting done. There has been talk of the sides moving closer, but nothing with this much confidence.
The new deal could be worth up to $100 million and Fisher reports that Bryant and Jerry Jones want to make the contract a "positive mark" for the franchise. There are still details to work out, including the amount of guaranteed money and the structure of the deal. Fisher reports that the announcement could come on Monday and if not then, likely before the July 15 franchise tag deadline.
Check here for more on Bryant and the deal from FOX.
The Cowboys used the franchise tag on Bryant this offseason and if he signs the one year tender, he will make just under $13 million this season. The July 15 deadline for that deal is coming fast and that is part of the reason why there is some development in the talks between the two sides. After letting DeMarco Murray go it appeared that the Cowboys were ready to pay Bryant, but they may want to do it on their own terms and not his.
Pro Football Talk reported that the Cowboys and Bryant's agent met near the end of June and that could be what preceded this recent development about a deal. Florio reported that the sides met for the first "face-to-face meeting in months" and that came after the reported threats about Bryant sitting out the first week of the season. The negotiations between the two sides have not gotten publicly contentious yet, but there have been some bad media reports.
Earlier in the offseason there were reports about the "video" that never turned up in an incident that may or may not have involved Bryant and some reports have come out that the Cowboys want "off field protections" in the deal.