Dallas Cowboys rumors: Dez Bryant not expected to sign extension this season
By Hayden Kane
With the 2014 NFL season set to start on Sunday in earnest, it sounds like a lucrative multi-year contract for Dallas Cowboys’ wide receiver Dez Bryant will have to wait.
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For much of the pre-season it sounded like Bryant and the Cowboys were closing in on a deal that not only would have paid him big money, but also would have potentially set the market for his colleagues such as Demaryius Thomas of the Denver Broncos.
Such a deal is still possible, of course, but it sounds like the negotiations will be put on hold in the nominal interests of avoiding distractions now that the regular season is upon us. Per Ian Rapoport:
Sources: #Cowboys & WR Dez Bryant did not reach a contract extension by his self-imposed deadline. None is expected. He’s in a contract year
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 7, 2014
These things can change quickly, and here’s betting that Bryant would be willing to show some flexibility with that deadline if it meant that he was able to ensure a big payday in advance of hitting free agency. It is also worth noting that a contract year packs less drama than it might have previously because of the protection of the franchise tag for Jerry Jones and the Cowboys.
Bryant enters 2014 as one of the true elite receivers in football, having caught 93 balls for 1,233 yards and 13 touchdowns last season.
Stay tuned to FanSided for all the latest news and rumors about the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL as the 2014 season kicks off.