The Dallas Cowboys are leaning toward using the franchise tag on wide receiver Dez Bryant.
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Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said the team plans on using the franchise tag on Bryant, but is in no rush to do so.
"Right now we're probably leaning that way," Jones told ESPN about using the tag on Bryant, who is an unrestricted free agent. "But that doesn't mean it won't change."
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The NFL has not set the 2015 salary cap yet, but ESPN reports that the franchise tag will likely be somewhere around $13 million for wide receivers.
Bryant said during the season that he'd be "pretty disappointed" if the Cowboys used the franchise tag on him, but the team is planning on meeting with his agents. Bryant and owner Jerry Jones had extensive talks, but couldn't reach an agreement on a multi-year extension during the season.
Dallas is set to meet with Bryant's agents soon, but no clear date has been made. Bryant switched agents in the middle of last season, signing with Kim Miale of Roc Nation and Tom Condon of CAA.
Jones told ESPN that he wouldn't be worried about Bryant having a negative reaction to a franchise tag.
"I think Dez will be a pro and he'll play," Jones said.
Jones said he is set to "keep options open," but if he were to place a franchise tag on Bryant, the team would have until July 15 to sign him to an extension or else he'll have to play under the tag.
"Those things cut both ways," Jones said. "The franchise tags pay the guys a lot of money. That's why I don't think you see many of them sitting out because it's hard to pass up guaranteed money, the type of money that these guys get when they sign their franchise tag. Of course, the second they sign it, it's guaranteed, so it's not terrible for these guys to play under the franchise."
Dallas is coming off of a great season where it went 12-4 and won the NFC East for the first time since 2009 and went on to top the Detroit Lions in the wild-card round before falling to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional playoffs.
Bryant was a huge part of the Cowboys' success in 2014, notching 88 catches for 1,320 yards and setting a franchise record with 16 touchdown catches.
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