Today is the deadline for franchise-tagged players to reach long-term deals with their teams, and it seems like the Dallas Cowboys have significantly raised their offer to star wide receiver Dez Bryant, who has threatened to hold out through training camp and into the regular season.
Bryant was designated for the franchise tag this offseason, which will pay him $12.8 million guaranteed for 2015, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in the league. Bryant wants long-term security though, and confirmed his willingness to sit out via Twitter.
Bryant has been one of the NFL’s most consistent pass-catchers over the past three seasons. In each year since 2012 Bryant has never dipped below 88 receptions, 1,200 yards, or 12 touchdowns. In 2014, Bryant led the NFL in touchdown catches with 16 and led the Cowboys to their first playoffs appearance in four years.
Bryant was the focal point of the passing game; his 136 targets were the most on the team by a wide margin, 46 more than the second-most targeted player, tight end Jason Witten. Bryant’s 16 touchdowns doubled Terrance Williams’ total, and he was the lone Cowboy to amass more than 704 yards through the air.
Bryant is unlikely to earn a contract in line with Calvin Johnson’s seven-year, $113 million contract extension he signed in 2012, but he will seek more than what Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Mike Wallace got. Wallace is the NFL’s second-highest paid receiver at five years and $60 million ($30 million guaranteed).
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