https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/da...-can-flat-successful-without-dez-bryant-field
Former NFL WR: The Cowboys can 'flat out be successful' without Dez Bryant on the field
Tom Fox/Staff Photographer
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) is pictured during pregame warmups before the New York Giants game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, September 10, 2017. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)
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Is Dez Bryant one of the NFL's elite wide receivers?
The
WR finds that question to be funny, but it has been asked more frequently since the wideout signed a five-year, $70 million deal in 2015 thanks to injuries and numbers that aren't as high as they once were.
Former Packers and Vikings receiver Greg Jennings recently said on
The Herd that he's jumped off the Bryant bandwagon.
He says why below in the video and the transcript.
Greg Jennings: When you look at what the Dallas Cowboys do, they can do it without 88 [Dez]. They can flat out be successful without 88 out there.
The reason why I've completely jumped off the Dez Bryant train, if you will, is simply his suddenness is not present. I don't see him being sudden off the line of scrimmage. He doesn't create separation.
Colin Cowherd: None.
Greg Jennings: And he doesn't even use release moves off the line.
Colin Cowherd: Now explain that to me.
Greg Jennings: What I mean by that is just simple hand swipes, getting skinny. He just exposes his chest which is an absolute no-no when you're a receiver.
Colin Cowherd: So his details are awful?
Greg Jennings: His details, they're nonexistent. They're nonexistent.
So when we look at last year and everyone was pointing at Dak Prescott saying, 'Well what's up with Dez? Why aren't you getting Dez the ball?' And he's like, 'Look, I'll get the ball to him if he's open. I'll get the ball to anybody who is open.'
I watched [Monday] night. Dez Bryant creates zero separation.
Colin Cowherd: He's just a guy.
Greg Jennings: He's a guy. Now, with the ball in his hand ...
Colin Cowherd: He's a big body.
Greg Jennings: ... he's a big body. He can do some special things. But as a skill position guy and being one of the higher paid guys at that position, nope. Done.
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Jennings is hardly the first to question Bryant's status as an elite wide receiver. When Josh Norman was with the Panthers,
he said the Cowboys needed a refund on the wideout's contract after holding him to two catches for 26 yards on Thanksgiving.
Former Cowboys CB Deion Sanders recently called Dez one of the best receivers in the game,
but he doesn't measure up against prime defensive backs.
"And the last few times that Dez has gone against a real, pure, dominant corner," Sanders said, "they haven't gotten the ball to him or he hasn't made his catches or he hasn't had productivity...
"I don't know where the inconsistency with he and Dak [Prescott is] but you don't see this with Antonio Brown. You don't see this with Julio [Jones]..."
Here are how Dez's stats compare to before and after he signed his extension.
Before extension Dez Bryant After extension*
5
Seasons played 2*
75 (80)
Games played (Possible games) 25 (35)
381
Receptions 92
5,424
Yards 1,311
3
1,000-yard seasons 0
56
TDs 13
*Through two seasons and three games this year
Those look pretty lopsided, but that's because of the five seasons before the extension compared to the two-plus since.
Here's a breakdown of his last 25 games before the extension, which equals the amount of games he's played since inking that $70 million deal.
Before extension Dez Bryant After extension
25
Games played 25
139
Receptions 92
1,984
Yards 1,311
23
TDs 13
So...is Dez still an elite receiver?
Do you guys do that at your workplace too? "Well Bob makes twice as much as Bill but he doesn't produce twice as much so he's overpaid." Lol
