Where Will Dez Bryant be Playing Next Season?
Five days ago, the Dallas Cowboys parted ways with their controversial star receiver Dez Bryant. After a remarkable eight year run with the team, in which he caught 73 touchdowns while gaining 7,459 yards, Bryant is looking for a new home; but where?
I feel it would be easier to predict where he is going to end up if he didn’t come with the baggage, such as throwing temper tantrums on the sideline.
Still, no matter how he acts, Bryant is a good player that seems to have at least a little bit left in the tank after catching 69 passes for 838 yards last season.
Bryant is reportedly taking the Cowboys decision to part ways with him as “personal” , and he even said in an interview with NFL Network that playing in the NFC East with the Cowboys is, “. . .something that I want.”
That cuts Bryant’s preferred destinations down to three teams: the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, and Washington Redskins. Still, there isn’t a logical fit with any of those teams.
Per Chris Mortensen of ESPN, the Eagles do not have interest in Bryant at this time so that leaves the Redskins and Giants.
In New York , the roster is already stuffed with receivers such as Sterling Sheppard, Evan Engram, Odell Beckham Jr., and Brandon Marshall so he will not be ending up there.
How about Washington? Well, the Skins already have Jamison Crowder and former first-rounder Josh Doctson, and they decided to sign former Seahawks wideout Paul Richardson for a pretty good chunk of moolah this offseason. Sorry Dez.
Around the rest of the league, the Baltimore Ravens have been the most interested in Bryant according to NFL Network’s Ian Rappaport. Rappaport also mentioned that the Bills have been interested in the veteran ever since he got cut, but I don’t think he goes to either Baltimore or Buffalo. Neither team plays Dallas this season and I think that is one of Bryant’s main focuses; to sign with a team that plays the ‘Boys in 2018.
Taking a look at Dallas’s schedule, one team jumps off the page for me: the Houston Texans.
Bryant would be staying in Texas, so he wouldn’t have to move anywhere, he’d be joining a solid team, he would be playing with an up and coming quarterback in DeShaun Watson, and he would be teaming up with DeAndre Hopkins creating a very dynamic receiving corps. Who says no?
Well, owner Bob McNair and head coach Bill O’Brien can, but why would they? At the moment Will Fuller is Houston’s number two receiver and if they signed Bryant to a deal, they could move Fuller to the slot while Dez occupies the spot opposite Hopkins. Fuller as a slot receiver could be a nightmare for defenses.
When he is healthy, we have continually seen the Fuller’s (former Notre Dame product) ability to take the top off the defense, and matching him up against safeties and smaller corners in the slot could give Houston a top-10 NFL offense.
It remains to be seen where Bryant ends up, but I think the Texans are a great fit. There is no other team that really grabs my attention. The Jaguars are another team I thought about, but does anyone think Dez is clamoring to catch passes from Blake Bortles? Didn’t think so. The 49ers also a logical spot, but the don’t play Dallas this year. So as of now, I am the conductor for the, “Dez to Houston” train; hop on whenever you want.
-Jarrod Ribaudo (@Jribs53)