There is no doubting the talent that Dez Bryant has on the field. He has constantly proven himself as one of best offensive weapons for Tony Romo. However, his issues off the field continue to mount which could hurt his chances at getting the money he wants in a new contract. The wide receiver had yet another discipline issue on Friday prior to the team's Sunday game in London, which has Dallas hesitant about handing out a top-dollar deal.
Bryant is looking to get a new contract in the offseason and he has the intentions of being the highest-paid wide receiver in the league. Right now, Calvin Johnson holds that title. However, Bryant has some red marks on his resume that is making Dallas a little nervous. According to NFL.com, the Cowboys are hesitant to meet the contract demands of Bryant because they do not trust him to make the right decisions off the field. NFL.com reported that the police have been called six times to Bryant's house. He had a domestic dispute issue involving his mother. In another incident, police were called because of a sleeping baby locked in a car outside of his home. This has Dallas nervous about what else could come.
The Cowboys and Bryant have attempted to negotiate a contract before, but have gotten nowhere. Dallas offered the wide receiver a 10-year, $114 million contract, but Bryant was unhappy because only $20 million of that was guaranteed. The end result was Bryant switching over to Jay Z's Roc Nation Sports, something that Jerry Jones was apparently not thrilled about. Bryant wants a deal that surpasses what Johnson is making. He signed a seven-year, $113.5 million, but had more guaranteed money mixed in.
The Cowboys could use the franchise tag on Bryant. That would give him a solid one-year deal, but not the long-term money he is aiming for. According to the Dallas Morning News, most are expecting Bryant to get franchised this offseason rather than getting a long-term contract. Yes, Bryant is a talent that Dallas needs and wants to keep around for the long-term, but there is a lot of doubt that a deal will get done in time. Bryant noted that he does not want the franchise tag and a holdout could certainly happen, but he does want to remain in Dallas to become a franchise "icon."
"I come from dirt, point-blank period," Bryant said, via Dallas Morning News. "Every day I'm writing my story and it's getting better. I feel like that was the best choice for me. They can help me get to where I want to be. I love Cowboy Nation and they love me. I'm going to try to make it right and bring that Super Bowl here."
