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Agent: Cowboys' Dez Bryant 'willing' to sit out games; Cowboys not concerned
Dallas Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant said last week he would consider skipping the team’s season opener if he doesn’t get a new contract. On the same day Bryant did not attend the team’s first day of minicamp, Tom Condon, Bryant's agent, said Tuesday that Bryant isn’t bluffing.
“In my conversations with him, he’s indicated that he’s willing to do that,” Condon said on Sirius XM NFL Radio.
Bryant has until July 15 to sign his franchise tag offer, which would guarantee him more than $12 million for the 2015 season. And because he hasn’t signed the franchise tag, Bryant is not currently under contract and is not required to show up for this week’s minicamps, which are mandatory for all other players.
Condon said there haven’t been negotiations with the Cowboys about Bryant’s contract for some time and he thinks the team would prefer Bryant sign his franchise tag.
“The only offer we’ve ever received from the Cowboys was the same offer that they gave to Dez prior to the time that he played the last year of his rookie contract. Since then we’ve had conversations, but nothing regard to any negotiation,” Condon said.
“I think from their perspective they’re looking at this year as a franchise tag which is a substantial number – close to $12 [million] and change. And then next year they can do it again and their average over the two years is basically $14 million. And so they can go year-by-year if they would like.
“The problem, of course, is that you don’t then have Dez at any time during the preseason and from Dez’s comments lately, you may not have him during the regular season for some undetermined period of time.”
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Condon said it’s “difficult” for Bryant to not be with his teammates, but he’s willing to take these steps in order to bolster his long-term future.
“It’s difficult for him to not be there. And would it be difficult for him to not be there for the regular season? Yes, absolutely,” Condon said. “But nevertheless, he’s maturing quickly and he’s not the same guy he was five years ago when he started as a rookie in the NFL. He understands what his contribution has been and that he’s at risk. His average per year in salary is probably 20 percent of what he would get on the open market. He understands the significance of this and what this means for the rest of his life.”
Later on Tuesday, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said the threat of Bryant potentially missing games doesn't motivate the team to get a deal done.
"I don’t really listen to any of that," Jones said on Sirius XM NFL Radio. "At the end of the day it’s business. And when the time comes and there's something that we can do that makes sense for both sides, I know that’ll happen. They’re motivated to do it. We’re motivated to do it. Right now there’s just too big of a divide.
"I’m sure it’s the same way with us. I don’t think anything we’re gonna say right now is gonna sway what Tom thinks or what Dez may think or vice versa. We’re not really concerned with what they have to say right now."
Jones said the team's goal is to lock up Bryant for a long time, but admitted that the market for wide receivers is tricky right now.
"Our goal ultimately is to sign Dez to a long-term contract and I know Dez would like to have one, but this is an environment – especially with the receiver market – that’s not exactly easy to get your hands around," Jones said.
"It’s been well documented that (Larry) Fitzgerald and (Calvin Johnson) both got their deals based on their rookie contracts because they were high draft picks and the franchise tag dictated that. Since then, all receivers have pretty much been paid – the top ones – in the $11 million to $12.5 million range. So there’s a big disparity there and I don’t think anyone quite knows what that market is and that makes it difficult.
"I think once we figure out what that is, there’s a way for us to get something done with Dez."
Condon, who said he currently has no conversations scheduled with Dallas, knows there’s still a long way to go until the franchise tag deadline.
“It’s not a situation where all is lost,” Condon said.
Jones agrees.
“There’s no acrimony here. This is just one of those difficult business situations that at some point will find its way," Jones said.
But would Bryant play the 2015 under the franchise tag?
“We haven’t got that far yet and I would talk with the Cowboys about all of those situations before I talk about it publicly,” Condon said.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
