Dez Bryant Threatens To Miss Training Camp And Regular Season Games If He Doesn't Get A New Contract

As much as I love football...on my beautiful babies.. I apologize #cowboynation but I will not be there if no deal #fact

— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) July 13, 2015

NJ.com- The Cowboys and Bryant's representatives, both CAA's Tom Condon and members of Roc Nation, have had one face-to-face negotiating session. They have exchanged proposals once, just before the Fourth of July holiday.

The ultimatum was personally delivered in a phone call last week, reiterating what Bryant's representatives have been telling the team. Bryant told Jones that he understands the league created the franchise player designation with the approval of the NFLPA and that he wants to spend his career playing for the Cowboys.

But Bryant also made the argument that he has proved himself to be the top receiver in the league over the past five years and should be compensated accordingly.



I'm pretty sure I wrote this same blog like 3 months ago. Even if I didn't, this same story has come out approximately once a month since the season ended. How many times do we have to see athletes threaten to hold out, or actually hold out, only to be ready to go come week 1 before we stop reporting it as actual news? I'm not saying Dez Bryant won't stick to his word. I'm not saying he won't miss a week or two of training camp. I am saying that if you think the Cowboys and Dez Bryant are going to be hard headed enough to let one of the best wide receivers in the NFL sit at home healthy while meaningful football is taking place then you are beyond crazy. The outcome of each and every one of the 16 games played by each team in the league holds far too much importance to let a difference maker miss even one series because of a contract dispute. The Cowboys don't want that, and Dez Bryant certainly doesn't want that. These negotiations aren't going to be timely. They probably aren't going to be pretty. However, they are absolutely going to get done. That's why Dez Bryant feels comfortable enough to make an empty threat that would virtually leave him unemployed. 

I don't really fault NFL players for holding out when they are drastically underpaid. With non-guaranteed contracts and a very small earning window, it's no surprise that they want to capitalize on their abilities when they still have them. I just don't think it's necessary to tweet it out or repeat it every couple of weeks. Dez Bryant isn't a free agent, he doesn't have the franchise by the balls. Both sides want the same thing, but if it doesn't work out then Dez Bryant loses his livelihood for a year. Meanwhile, the team only potentially loses another game or two. I know the NFL is big business, but 'The House That Jerry Built' isn't any less valuable without Dez Bryant on the field. If you ask me, the Cowboys are the ones playing from a position of power. Power they will need to relinquish if they want to field their best possible team, but power nonetheless.