Update:
Mary Kay Cabot, citing a league source, is now reporting that Dez Bryant is “no longer on the front burner” now that Josh Gordon has returned to the team.
On Sunday, Browns HC Hue Jackson told reporters that Josh Gordon‘s return doesn’t impact whether they’ll sign free agent WR Dez Bryant to a contract.
“No, I think one has nothing to do with the other in my opinion,” Jackson said, via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “Again, things will unfold as they will. The most important thing we know is that Josh is here, and again, we’ve had a good conversation with Dez and until he’s a Cleveland Brown, I can only worry about the guys that are on this football team.”
The Browns have placed Gordon on the on the non-football injury list (NFLTR) and the league is monitoring his return, but Gordon is not facing a suspension.
Jackson admitted that there’s no telling just how long Gordon will be with the team, given the number of issues he’s dealt with since entering the NFL.
“I’m confident that he’s here and I think that’s the most important part,” said Jackson. “You know, how long he stays, only Josh knows that, but I think he’s in a much better place. I think we feel very good about where he is, but again, all those things, as you guys know, are always fluid. That’s always a concern, but at the same time, we’re here to support, help and try to create the right environments for Josh.”
Bryant reportedly turned down a three-year, $21 million offer from the Ravens after he was released a few months ago. Since then, the market has been very slow-moving for Bryant, so it shouldn’t come as a big surprise to hear that he may end up waiting another month or so before signing.
Bryant, 29, is a former first-round pick of the Cowboys back in 2010. He was in the third year of his five-year, $70 million contract that included $45 million guaranteed and was set to make base salaries of $12.5 million over the final two years of the agreement when Dallas released him in a move that freed up $8.5 million of available cap space.
In 2017, Bryant has appeared in 15 games for the Cowboys and has caught 66 passes for 814 yards receiving and six touchdowns. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 45 receiver out of 116 qualifying players.
We have him featured in our Top 50 Available 2018 NFL Free Agents list.
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