The Dallas Cowboys and Dez Bryant are reportedly close to a new contract agreement and a deal could be reached this week for the wide receiver and this comes just ahead of training camp and after Bryant threatened to holdout for the first game of the season if he did not get a long term contract.
Bryant and the Cowboys have been trying to get a deal done this offseason and heading into the end of June it was not looking that great. But things have changed now, as CBS Sports reporter Jason La Canfora is reporting that Bryant and the Cowboys are "on the verge" of a "long term deal" and it could "conclude" by this week. The Cowboys used the franchise tag on Bryant earlier in the offseason and the two sides have until July 15 to work out a long term deal.
Bryant could play under the one year contract at just under $13 million, but he has been looking for long term security all offseason. The Dallas Morning News reported at the end of June that the Cowboys ad Bryant's agent met for the first time in weeks and that likely sparked the latest developments. According to Mike Fisher at Fox Sports Southwest, the deal could be worth over $100 million and could be up to seven years, but the details are "not yet known" and that is his expert speculation.
Bryant is coming in after having one of his best seasons with a career high 16 touchdowns and over the past three seasons he has put up 41 TD catches. Bryant has had at least 88 catches and 1200 yards in each of the last three seasons and his contract also will set the market for other wide receivers. Both Demaryius Thomas and Julio Jones are expected to get new deals and they reportedly are waiting for Bryant to sign before pushing hard to use his deal as leverage.
The Cowboys let DeMarco Murray go this offseason to avoid paying the running back big money and that has helped leave enough to get Bryant signed. Bryant has put up great numbers and now he is looking to get paid. Earlier reports in the offseason had the team looking for off field "protections" in the contract, but it's unclear where that stands now.
The running back situation will have to play itself out with Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden battling to start in training camp. The team has Lance Dunbar, Ryan Williams and Lache Seastrunk on the depth chart behind those two and they could add another player in free agency around camp.
Randle comes in after averaging over six yards per carry last season and the Dallas Morning News reports that it's Randle's "job to lose" in camp. McFadden is a solid backup and he comes in after playing in all 16 games for the first time in his career with the Raiders last season. McFadden has dealt with injuries in the past and he also had a sore hamstring for part of offseason workouts. Randle has been with the team for longer and that could also help give him the inside edge when it comes to learning the offense.
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