The Dallas Cowboys dumped receiver Dez Bryant on Friday.
He was scheduled to count $16.5 million against the Cowboys’ salary cap. Naturally, as soon as the move was made people started clamoring for the Green Bay Packers to sign Bryant.
The Packers do need receivers. The way things currently stand, the Packers will likely be starting Davante Adams on one side and tight end Jimmy Graham on the other. Randall Cobb will man the slot, as usual. After that, the pickings are slim — Geronimo Allison, Trevor Davis, Michael Clark, DeAngelo Yancey and some guys you’ve never heard of.
And then what happens when Cobb gets injured, as he is wont to do? Or when Adams suffers another concussion?
Yikes! Imagine the Packers trotting out Allison and Davis as starters.
Is Dez Bryant the answer?
While I wouldn’t be opposed to the Packers adding him at the right price, Bryant appears to be in decline. Bryant is 29 and will turn 30 in November. He could have some good years left in him, if his head is right.
However, he’s been trending down. Bryant hasn’t hit 1,000 yards since 2014, when he had 1,320.
In 2015, Bryant played in just nine games, finishing with 31 catches, 401 yards and three touchdowns. In 2016, his first with Dak Prescott throwing him the ball, Bryant went for 50, 796 and eight in 13 games. In 2017, Bryant played a full season and had 69 for 838 and six.
Bryant didn’t have a 100-yard game in 2017 and, if you watched any Dallas games, you noticed he dropped plenty of passes. Perhaps you can tie his decline in production to Prescott, who is solid, but no Tony Romo.
Maybe Bryant could resurrect his career with Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball.
The possibility isn’t out of the question. More so, I think the Packers would take an 800-yard season from their No. 2 receiver at this point. You can’t tell me Allison, who is technically the de facto No. 2 outside receiver, is going to do that.
My feeling, however, is the Packers don’t have the money to make the move. Bryant isn’t going to break the bank like Allen Robinson or Sammy Watkins did, at this point in the offseason. There are still receiver-hungry teams with more money than the Packers to spend, however. If there’s a bidding war, the Packers are most likely out, if they’re interested at all.
But wouldn’t it be ironic if the guy who caught the ball that was ruled a non-catch came and played for the team that beat the Cowboys that day?