Dez Bryant is making a big mistake by turning down the Ravens
Dez Bryant continues to miscalculate his NFL value. He won’t get another offer as good as what he’s turning down with the Baltimore Ravens.
When the Dallas Cowboys made their long-awaited decision to release Dez Bryant it was clear the receiver felt like he’d receive a lot of free agent interest. Bryant was wrong about that and his decision to turn down a multiyear offer from the Baltimore Ravens proves he still doesn’t understand his tenuous place in the NFL.
ESPN is reporting that Bryant turned down a multiyear offer from the AFC North team. Evidently, Bryant would prefer a one year contract that would allow him to rebuild his value and position himself for a big payday next offseason. Bryant seems to think it’s still 2014, the year in which he last registered 1,000 yards receiving.
By spurning the Ravens’ offer, Bryant has put himself in a really tough position. The majority of teams interested in acquiring wide receiver help will attempt to fill their needs in this week’s NFL Draft. By the time this weekend arrives, the number of potential suitors for Bryant is going to drop precipitously.
He may be forced to wait until preseason begins to find his new home. His best bet to get a new contract of any real value will be to wait for a big-name receiver to go down with an injury. Bryant’s best bet to receive a deal anywhere near his asking price will be to prey on a team decimated by injury.
If that situation doesn’t pop up, he may find it difficult to carve out a meaningful role anywhere. The Cowboys clearly saw that his physical abilities were dropping and cut him as a result. Other NFL teams surely saw the same realities about Bryant on film. He no longer has the burst and ability to threaten defenses over the top that made him such a valuable player earlier in his career.
Time will tell whether or not his ego can handle that change. He’s not going to be anyone’s top wideout. The best he can hope for would be to join a team that throws the ball a lot and can utilize him as an X receiver.
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In Baltimore, he could have emerged as an important target for Joe Flacco. The Ravens may not have been the perfect scheme to maximize his talents, but they would’ve invested multiple years in him. Bryant won’t find another team willing to commit so much. His choice to turn down the Ravens may prove to be one of the worst decisions of his career.