Through the first several weeks of the offseason, there has been the cloud of former Pro Bowl wide receiver Dez Bryant's contract situation around the Dallas Cowboys There have been persistent rumblings that the front office is looking to work out a pay cut with him at some point.
However, there has yet to be any clarity as to exactly when that will take place this offseason. According to Todd Archer of ESPN, team executive vice president Stephen Jones further emphasized that ambiguity around the entire ordeal with no timetable set for that conversation to take place.
Speaking on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said the club has yet to meet with Dez Bryant regarding the receiver's contract. Last week Jerry Jones said he hopes to meet with Bryant this week. “When we do we'll let you know and the guy who will do that will be Jerry,” Stephen Jones said.
There may not be a date set for both sides to meet, but it's clear that it will happen some point in the coming weeks. The Cowboys are likely shifting their focus first toward getting through the upcoming draft before working toward a reduced deal for Bryant.
Dallas has a strong desire to keep the 29-year-old on board for the long haul, but the possibility of him being cut lingers. There is no certainty that these talks will go smoothly or that he will agree to be a reduced salary from the remaining two years of his five-year, $70 million where he is scheduled to make $33 million over that span.
It isn't that the team is having issues with him on or off the field, but that his level of production has matched the pay that he is scheduled to make. The fact of the matter is that Bryant has failed to reach 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last three seasons. Ultimately, all of this should sort itself out once the two sides met to discuss the contract situation.