Dez Bryant Could Skip Season Opener – REPORT

Could Dez Bryant really sit out preseason and the season opener to prove a point? Well, that is the latest rumor hitting the Internet, courtesy of ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.

Dez Bryant Could Skip Season Opener

The Dallas Cowboys’ star receiver was given the franchise tag this year, meaning he will be paid $12,823,000 for the 2015 season. However, he is currently unhappy with the money and has allegedly refused to sign the deal; he was hoping the Cowboys could give him a lucrative long-term contract.

Both the Cowboys and Bryant are working under a deadline, as franchised players can only work on long-term extensions until July 15: if they do not complete one, then he either has to play under the tag or sit out the season. And this is where Mortensen’s sources chime in, as they suggest that Bryant is mulling over the idea of not reporting to the season opener unless a deal is reached.

“I’m just not going to comment about that,” said Dez Bryant’s agent Tom Condon. “Our goal is still to get something done on a long-term basis by the deadline.”

Over the last three seasons, Bryant has put up numbers comparable to some of the best wide receiver seasons: 273 receptions, 3,935 yards and 41 touchdowns. But it is easy to see why the Cowboys are hesitant to sign him, as he always had some character issues. In 2012, he was arrested for misdemeanor domestic assault for striking his biological mother and, just a few months ago, there was an alleged Ray Rice like video being floated around, which did not amount to anything.

However, many people do not believe this threat to be true, as he might be just using the media to force the Dallas Cowboys’ hand. ESPN’s Ryan Clark stated, “I don’t know guys who pass up on millions and millions of dollars to prove points. Right now, it’s just hearsay.”

Either way, as July 15 creeps closer, the Dez Bryant contract negotiation becomes increasingly interesting.