Dez Bryant has been one of the best wide receivers in the league since he entered in 2010. Bryant has played his entire career on the Dallas Cowboys but over the past two seasons he has showed some decline. Over the past two seasons Dez has started and played in 29 games out of a possible 32 but has been targeted 228 times while only catching 119 passes for 1,607 yards which is 13.5 yards a reception.
In this past off-season, Dez was released by the Dallas Cowboys after he and the Cowboys failed to reach a deal on a restructured contract. Dez went through all of training camp and preseason without a deal and is still a free agent after week 1 of the NFL season. Dez received two offers from the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns during training camp but didn’t sign either. I will be breaking down 5 possible destinations for Dez Bryant this season.
1: Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons offense looked horrible in their opening game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Falcons moved the ball up and down the field all night but once they got into the red zone their offense stalled and they couldn’t convert. Matt Ryan was all over the place and if it wasn’t for Julio Jones having 10 receptions for 169 yards then they would have been in more trouble. Outside of Julio Jones the Atlanta Falcons recieving core of Mohammed Sanu and Calvin Ridley combined for 4 receptions and 18 yards which atrocious.
If the Falcons were to reach out to Dez Bryant then could make a lot of sense. Adding Bryant would have Sanu and Ridley play mainly in the slot position which would let Bryant and Jones play outside and demanding double teams. Bryant would be a major factor in the red zone with his heigh and his ability to win in one on one matchups. The Falcons could have one of the best offensives in the league and be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses with the talent across the board on offense.
2: Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns and Dez Bryant have been linked to each other since he was released by the Cowboys. The Cleveland Browns are headed in the right direction with some of the additions this off-season as well as there draft picks. The Browns added Jarvis Landry, Carlos Hyde, Tyrod Taylor, and Damarious Randall this off-season while drafting Baker Mayfield, Denzel Ward, and Nick Chubb.
The Browns have Jarvis Landry and Josh Gordon as their main wide-outs as well as Rashard Higgins but adding Dez Bryant would help them. Bryant would be paired with Josh Gordon on the outside while Jarvis Landry would be a match-up nightmare in the slot position. This would open up the playbook on the offensive side of the ball for the Browns and Dez would have less double teams and be able to play more one on one which is his bread and butter.
3: Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the best offenses in the league with Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington, Justin Hunter, LeVeon Bell, James Conner, Jesse James, and Vance McDonald. The Steelers have a ton of depth at the receiver position but adding a guy like Dez Bryant could give them a whole new dimension.
Adding Dez Bryant to the outside and sliding JuJu and James Washington into the slot positions could open up the field for Ben Roethlisberger and the running game. Whether teams decide to double Antonio Brown or not will either give Bryant the one on one match-ups on the outside or that could mean less double teams on Brown. Bryant would be a huge addition to the red zone with his size and strength as well as him being a possession receiver.
4: Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings made it to the NFC Championship game last season before losing to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles. The Vikings our one of the top teams in the league and could be the team to beat in the NFC with the new additions. The Vikings added Kirk Cousins this off-season as one of their prized free agents.
Minnesota has Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen as their wide receivers put after that they don’t have much production with Kendall Wright and Laquon Treadwell. Dez Bryant would be a huge addition to the Vikings which would allow them to slide either Diggs or Thielen to the slot and have Dez be an outside receiver. Dez has shown that he can be the number one on a team and be very effective but having two more receivers who can be just as dominate would help Dez be successful.
5: Dallas Cowboys
Could we see a reunion in Dallas with Dez Bryant when it’s all said and done ? Never count out the possibility but the odds are stacked against it. Dez Bryant was on the Dallas Cowboys for the first 7 years of his career but when the Cowboys came to him this off-season to restructure his contract, both sides didn’t see eye to eye. Dez Bryant had some incredible seasons for the Dallas Cowboys but the past couple of seasons without the help of some other guys, Dez seemed to be fading away.
The Cowboys could use the services of Dez this season with the new receivers that they acquired during the off-season in Allen Hurns and Michael Gallup. Dez and owner Jerry Jones were just spotted together at a Beyonce concert at AT&T Stadium recently which brings speculation to a reunion in Dallas.
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