By: Jake Rajala

Before Odell Beckham Jr brought swag & talent to the NFC East, Dez Bryant was throwing up the x and haunting opponents. Bryant merely notched 561 yards and six touchdowns in his rookie season, but he proved that he was born in the darkness by unveiling 1,382 yards and 12 TDs in his third season. Bryant made his first Pro Bowl in his fourth season (2013) by hauling 1,233 yds & 13 TDs. The Boys play-maker that was prioritized over Demarco Murray recorded a personal-best 16 TDs in 2014, earning him first-team All-Pro honors.

Bryant only garnered one PB nod between 2015, 2016, & 2017 (which came in 2016). Unfortunately, Bryant Achilles heel was that he unfortunately missed the entire 2018 season due to an Achilles injury. Despite him not taking a snap with Who Dat Nation in 2018, his teammates once “threw up the X” to honor his legacy in a contest. It was clear that Bryant was a shell of himself after the injury. He didn’t sign and compete in the 2019 season and then he only registered 47 yards and two touchdowns in 2020.

Ultimately, Bryant was a routinely significant weapon for one of the most beloved NFL franchises in the league in his playing days. With that enunciated, an intriguing question clouds over Bryant: Is Bryant a future Hall of Famer?

I believe the answer to the prior question is honestly a “no”. Like Desean Jackson, Bryant was an authentic, imposing WR in the NFC East around 2012, but he wasn’t constantly a top-end WR — as he only made one AP team. Furthermore, he wasn’t a quality, stud over a long span at a skill position (just as Frank Gore was). Similar to OBJ and Josh Gordan, he was certainly a polarizing wideout. Although, I would place his career success below Beckham Jr. & above Gordon, and I repeatedly conclude that the Super Bowl-less WR doesn’t deserve to be cast into Canton.

On a side note, I don’t foresee Bryant (or Adrian Peterson) being scooped up by another NFL team.

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By: Reese Nasser

Dez Bryant. A wide receiver that once captivated the NFL. During his time with the Dallas Cowboys, Bryant appeared in 113 games where he hauled in 531 receptions and 73 touchdowns. At points, Bryant was regarded as one of the top receivers in the NFL. 

Bryant has been seen less in recent years. He missed the entire 2018 season due to a torn achilles and chose to not play in 2019. In 2020, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens. Bryant would only appear in six games for the Ravens. He managed two touchdowns on six receptions and finished with just 47 yards receiving. This performance clearly shows that Bryant is at a much different point in his career than what people saw during his time in Dallas. At 32 years old, this sort of dropoff is expected but Bryant has been adamant that he still has some gas left in the tank. So should the Cowboys reunite with one of their greatest receivers ever? 

The Argument to Bring Bryant back

While Bryant only halued in 6 receptions last season, he still turned two of those into touchdowns. The ability is still clearly there, even if it is just at a lower level than it once was. 

The Cowboys have one of the top offensive units in the NFL. Quarterback Dak Prescott will be returning from his season ending injury that he suffered last season. Prior to his injury, Prescott was playing like one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. Ezekiel Elliot had a down year but that can be attributed to injuries to the offensive line and him not having his QB1.

The Cowboys also have one of the best wide receiver units in football. A receiving core consisting of Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and Ceedee Lamb can and will excel in today’s NFL. With a core this deep, why not bring Bryant back. His presence alone could help elevate this team. In many regards, he is a Cowboys legend who would be welcomed back with open arms. He also would not impede on the wide receiver unit that is already there. The spots of the three receivers in front of him would be there and Bryant would instead be utilized occasionally. Specific sets could be utilized for Bryant that would still allow for him to flourish. The addition could add a whole new layer to one of the top offenses in the NFL. 

Why Not Bring Him Back?

As nice as a homecoming might be for Bryant, there are a few reasons why it may not happen. One of them being, there are simply better options available. With free agent receivers such as Dede Westbrook and Golden Tate still on the market, the Cowboys could go out and get one of them instead. There is no immediate need at wide receiver on this roster but if there was, it would make more sense to either sign a younger receiver or a receiver that has caught more than six passes in the last three seasons. 

The addition of Bryant may cause a young receiver to be pushed down the depth chart. The Cowboys may be opposed to this as it could stunt the progress of a young receiver that they have plans for. 

Even if it doesn’t amount to much, the chance to see Bryant back in Dallas is too good to pass on. He clearly believes that he still has some game in him so sign him and find out. If the Cowboys make a playoff run, it’s only right that Bryant gets to join them for the ride. So go out and make the reunion come true. Let the man throw the X up in Dallas one more time and see what happens.

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