Dez Bryant emphatically proved that he is one of the very best wide receivers in the NFL last season, but so far, it has not translated into the big payday that he wants to see. The Cowboys used the franchise tag on the receiver in order to make sure that they did not lose him, but the sides are still working on a long-term deal.

Dallas Drafting 'The Next DeMarco Murray?'

Until that deal gets made, Bryant has decided that he will not participate in the team's offseason program. The deadline for agreeing to a new contract is July 15; if a deal is reached before that, then Bryant will operate under the terms of that contract. If no deal is reached by then, Bryant will play 2015 under the one-year franchise tag deal.

Bryant could elect to hold out into the season if no deal is reached by July 15, although there is no word on whether or not he would choose to do so. According to The Dallas Morning News, the team is not particularly worried about Bryant's absence, nor are they afraid that he will hold out.

Adrian Peterson's Agent Ruining Trade Chances?

If Bryant does hold out, then it still would be unlikely to bother the team unless he holds out into training camp. At that point, he is starting to make moves that could jeopardize the season. With how competitive the NFC was last year, a slow start could be a death sentence for a team, as it could easily require 10 or 11 wins just to make the playoffs.

Bryant is obviously a key part of Dallas's offense, and the team cannot afford to have to wait on him to play his way into shape if a holdout robs him of some key offseason conditioning during camp.