By Steve Hunt
FOXSportsSouthwest.com
Earlier this week, Cowboy fans and media types who cover America's Team were scratching their collective heads after reading a rumor that the team was possibly considering a trade involving top receiver Dez Bryant. This entire notion can be summed up in one short word- laughable.
There's no way Jerry Jones and Company would trade the new No. 88 and here's just a few reasons why this entire story is a huge joke:
Bryant Could Likely Be the No. 1 Receiver in 2011
With apologies to Miles Austin, who performed really well in 2009 to become a Pro Bowl pass catcher, a showing that earned him a huge contract extension just before the start of the 2010 campaign, he was a shell of his former self last season. There were dropped balls, tipped balls but one thing was for sure, he didn't look like he had the same focus that he displayed in 2009. Dez had already supplanted Roy Williams as the Cowboys' No. 2 receiver as a rookie and did that despite missing the last four games of the regular season. When he comes into off-season drills healthy, is there really any reason to think he can't supplant Austin on the depth chart and become this team's No. 1 receiver as soon as this year? That's exactly what Jerry drafted the Oklahoma State product to be, his primary option through the air and a true gamebreaker. And if Bryant stays healthy in 2011 and continues making considerable strides, then there's no doubt in anyone's mind that he will be the Cowboys top pass catcher, a role he's sure to fill for many years to come.
He's an Invaluable Part of the Return Game
Of course, Bryant's primary responsibility is to be a pass catcher and a great option for Dallas QB Tony Romo. And judging from the 45-catch, 561-yard and six-touchdown performance he had as a rookie that is a capacity he's going to excel in for this team for the near and distant future. But before he got injured and missed the balance of the regular season, Dez also filled a pretty sizeable hole for this Cowboy team, dependable return man. All told, he brought back 15 punts, including two of which he took the distance for touchdowns. Bryant also returned 12 kickoffs for an average of just over 24 yards per return. Sure, his numbers could stand to improve but considering how long it had been since he had returned kicks, over a year since his last attempt at OSU, he did pretty well. And considering what a state of flux the Dallas return game was in last year without him as a viable option, keeping him around provides as much benefit to the Cowboy special teams as it does to the offense.
The Man Could Become a Marketing Bonanza for Jerry
Does anyone think it was a mere coincidence when Bryant announced he was going to wear No. 88 right after he was drafted? Of course it wasn't. Sure, like many young wide receivers, Dez had idolized Michael Irvin during his formative years and it's very possible that the idea to switch digits might have been his at least initially. But Jones, who has to continually receive credit for his marketing genius probably had some input on the number change. Jerry likely saw how many jerseys he could sell with Bryant wearing No. 88 and it make him absolutely giddy. But as Dez becomes a bigger and bigger name not just in Dallas but the entire NFL, he could absolutely become a household name and a very marketable player for the Cowboys owner. Don't think for one minute he hasn't thought about those possibilities, a top offensive player for the most high-profile team in pro football if not professional sports as a whole, the possibilities are endless.
