The Dez Bryant to the Chicago Bears rumors are nothing new. They’ve been off and on since the off-season began back in January. It was widely speculated around the league that the Dallas Cowboys might end up cutting their former star wide receiver. He wasn’t as productive as his peak years, his contract was expensive and he was inching closer to his 30th birthday.
In the end owner Jerry Jones reached that conclusion. Bryant was no longer worth the money or the distraction his enigmatic personality tended to bring at times. So Dallas decided to part ways with him according to Adam Schefter and other sources. Suddenly the receiving depth chart for the Cowboys looks considerably weaker as a result.
Cowboys expected to release WR Dev Bryant today, barring an unexpected last-minute change of heart, per @toddarcher and me. But the plan going into meeting that is now underway was to part ways with Bryant.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 13, 2018
The Cowboys have released Dez Bryant after the receiver's meeting with Jerry Jones, according to a source. A source said Bryant was not offered a pay cut, while another source added that Bryant will not be designated a post-June 1 cut. The Cowboys will… https://t.co/WHJrHdguPh
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) April 13, 2018
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Yet only Cowboys fans care about that at this point. What the rest of the NFL wants to know is simple: what’s next for Bryant? Despite his slackened productivity the past couple years, he’s still viewed as one of the better receivers in the league. His services should be in demand. Could the Bears be one of the teams involved?
Dez Bryant to Chicago Bears is possible for three key reasons
There is no simple answer to the Bryant question. It’s fully loaded and people in every city are divided on it. Some can’t ignore his talent and what he can do for a passing attack. Others want nothing to do with his often hot-headed personality. Both arguments have merit. So where do the Bears sit on this? Could they make a play for him? Yes, and there are three reasons to think that.
#1 – The departure of Cameron Meredith
Let’s get the obvious one out of the way. Chicago was taken by surprise when the Bears elected not to match the offer made by New Orleans for the services of receiver Cameron Meredith. Most expected him to be a valuable depth option alongside Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel in 2018. Now he’s gone and as of now, Kevin White is penciled in as the #3 guy. Less than ideal.
Bryant may no longer be capable of being the true star receiver he was in Dallas. That wouldn’t matter with the Bears though. This is thanks to Robinson’s arrival. He would instantly become the best wide receiver Bryant has had a chance to play across from. Suddenly the double coverages would melt away, allowing him more space than he’s seen in years.
#2 – The Bears can afford it
He may be 29-years old and coming off two rather average years, but Bryant is still a big name. According to typical NFL guidelines, he should have enough juice left for two or three more good-to-great years. As such he’s likely to demand a healthy payday. Not as much as he earned in Dallas ($14 million) but somewhere in the $8-10 million range.
This might enrage some fans. Why would the Bears pay Bryant that much and not pay Meredith just under $5 million per year? The simple answer is Bryant is far more proven and also not coming off a catastrophic knee injury. Recent estimates say Chicago has upwards of $27-29 million in cap space. This is a deal they can easily make.
#1 – Matt Nagy
A year ago this same question would’ve had an easy answer. A big, fat NOPE. Why? That would be head coach John Fox. Remember this is the man that swiftly traded Brandon Marshall the moment he took over in 2015 and then Martellus Bennett a year later. He’s a coach who never likes having big personalities in his locker room. Likely because he didn’t have the disciplinary stance to deal with them.
That might no longer be the case for Chicago. Matt Nagy was an offensive coordinator for a short time, but in that time he got some valuable experience dealing with outspoken players. A perfect example is tight end Travis Kelce. Like Bryant, he’s a star and knows it, and never feared telling opponents or refs how he felt. Nagy managed to rein him in enough to make him one of the best tight ends in football. Why can’t he do it with Dez?
So the Bears can definitely sign Bryant, but will they?
This, unfortunately, is where fans will be disappointed. Something to remember about Bryant is he’s a highly emotional player. He plays and acts more with his heart than his head. It gets him in trouble sometimes but also makes him great. It can also lead to some pretty hard feeling when he feels he’s been disrespected. How should one expect him to feel about Dallas now after they unceremoniously dumped him?
Common sense says he’ll want revenge and the rumors are already circulating he aims to get it.
Dez walked out saying I'll see guys twice this year, I'm told. So that's that.
— Mickey Spagnola (@Spags52) April 13, 2018
A typical reaction among players who are cut after long tenures is to join a division rival, partly out of a need for revenge but also to stay where it’s familiar. Signs point towards Bryant doing the same. Both the Washington Redskins and New York Giants need help at wide receiver. The Giants even employ Bryant’s former wide receivers coach from Oklahoma State. It’s almost a no-brainer.
So while Chicago could easily incorporate him into their lineup, whether he has interest in such a thing is another story.
