Cowboys Sign Bryant
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The Dallas Cowboys and franchise-tagged wide receiver Dez Bryant agreed to a five-year deal Wednesday, less than an hour before the deadline.
The contract is worth $70 million and includes $45 million guaranteed, with a $20 million signing bonus, ESPN reported.
A photo of Bryant signing the contract at the Cowboys’ facility was tweeted by a reporter for DallasCowboys.com.
“I smiled the whole way over here,” he told the website. “I couldn’t even say nothing but just smile and laugh, because I couldn’t believe it. All I could just think about is that it’s a dream — a dream come true. I think the only thing that’s missing is a Super Bowl.”
The Cowboys reportedly were wary of giving a huge contract to Bryant, who has made some questionable decisions and had a few legal scrapes since the Cowboys drafted him in the first round in 2010.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and his son, executive vice president Stephen Jones, flew to New York on Tuesday and met with Jay Z and other representatives of Roc Nation, Bryant’s agency. The deal was finished Wednesday after more talks between Stephen Jones and agent Tom Condon.
Jerry Jones told ESPN that he met with Jay Z and Roc Nation “to talk about the advice they provide for (Bryant) off the field, the supervision, and wanted everyone on the same page.”
“If we were not comfortable with how Dez has grown over the past five years off the field and the support that includes Roc Nation, this deal probably doesn’t get done,” Jones said. “I’m happy for both sides. It’s a great deal for Dez, and he’s earned this contract. We’re satisfied with the terms and structure. Condon and Stephen worked hard on the contract to get it done on time.”
Under the franchise tender, Bryant had been set to make $12.8 million next season.
The 26-year-old Bryant had threatened to miss training camp and some regular-season games if he did not have a long-term in deal in place by Wednesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline for franchise players to sign multi-year contracts.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever been in this kind of situation, and it was extremely hard,” Bryant said. “It’s the whole reason why I came out to OTAs. I knew I was going to hear it from my agent; I was like, ‘I don’t care.'”
Bryant, Dallas’ first-round pick in 2010, has averaged 91 receptions, 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns the past three seasons.
Bryant caught 88 passes for 1,320 yards and a league-leading 16 touchdowns last season and was named to his second Pro Bowl.
In five seasons with the Cowboys, Bryant has caught 381 passes for 5,424 yards and 56 touchdowns.
The NFL Players Association had threatened to file collusion charges against the Cowboys and Denver Broncos if Bryant and wide receiver Demaryius Thomas did not sign long-term contracts.
The Broncos and Thomas reached agreement on a similar five-year deal, right before Wednesday’s deadline.
