Bryant Ready For Big Payoff

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The way Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant sees it, putting up big numbers for the team should be reciprocated come contract time.

That time is near with Bryant entering the final year of his rookie contract that will pay him just over $2 million including a $250,000 workout bonus in 2014.

“I deserve it. I feel like I do,” said Bryant, who caught 93 passes for 1,233 yards and 13 touchdowns last season and leads the NFL with 25 TD catches since 2012, in an ESPN interview. “I put the work in, but I let that kind of stuff take care of itself. It is what it is. I let my agent talk about it and give me some feedback.”

Entering his fifth season, Bryant turns 26 in November and has 293 career catches with

40 touchdowns as quarterback Tony Romo’s No. 1 target. Bryant was drafted 24th overall in the 2010 draft because of off-field concerns and has run into issues since joining the team out of Oklahoma State.

“I’m loyal to the squad,” Bryant told ESPN. “I’ve always been. Me and my agent are going to talk about (a hometown discount). We’ll talk about it. You know, this is big. This is life-changing. Like I said, I’ve done everything asked of me, and we’ll see what happens.”

Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall signed a three-year, $30 million contract extension last week. Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions (eight years, $132 million) and Arizona Cardinals’ standout Larry Fitzgerald (seven years, $113 million) set the bar at stratospheric heights for the position. Recent deals for high-profile free agents Vincent Jackson (five years, $55.5 million with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Mike Wallace (five years, $60 million with the Miami Dolphins) average more than $11 million per season and included guarantees over $20 million.

The Cowboys are tight against the salary cap and must also address the contract of left tackle Tyron Smith. They picked up his fifth-year option for 2015, but a long-term deal would likely average $10 million to $12 million per season.

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