Cowboys + Dez Get Close, As A Domino Must Fall
By Mike Fisher | @fishsports
DALLAS (105.3 THE FAN) - It was 26 years ago when Jerry Jones sat behind his desk at Valley Ranch and explained to me that "Deadlines Make Deals,'' a phrase that is now a central part of Dallas Cowboys parlance.
But there is suddenly another reason for both sides to push for a Dez Bryant "Cowboys For Life'' deal in advance of the July 15 deadline to move him from the one-year guaranteed franchise-tag deal of $12.832 million: Dez' agent Tom Condon needs a domino to fall.
Our man Shan Shariff, here on 105.3 The Fan, reports that he's hearing whispers about "more than $100 million'' and "$45 million guaranteed'' for Bryant, arguably the game's best receiver and a heart-and-soul Cowboy. The principles I'm talking to aren't willing to discuss those numbers in much detail. But one source does tell that the number of years still needs to be ironed out, and also that the guaranteed money can be misunderstood because there are "guarantees,'' "upfront money'' and "virtual guarantees'' — and all those can still be points of contention. (If the $45 million seems high, for instance, that's because it could include some "virtual guarantees'' that account for inability to play due to injury.)
We reported last Thursday of a "feel-good vibe'' inside of Valley Ranch, the reason, as it turned out, was a face-to-face meeting between Condon and the Joneses. We know about Dez' devotion to the cause here, from him showing up at minicamp to him cooperating with NBC in filming TV bits for a season-opening game he'd previously told me he was considering boycotting, and over the weekend to his jovial participation in the communal event known as "Dirk Nowitzki's Celebrity Baseball Game.''
So to the dominoes:
Smart voices close to these talks know that the super-agent Condon is working on new deals not only for Dez, but also for tagged receiver Demaryius Thomas of the Broncos. Could a quick Thomas deal set the parameters for a Dez deal? Sure, but the Broncos are stubbornly unmovable in their talks.
So … could a quick Dez deal set the parameters for a Demaryius deal? There you go. The dominoes won't likely feature Thomas falling first. So they must feature Dez — who so desperately wants to be with his team, and whose desperation and loyalty is shared by Jerry — as that first domino.
Deadlines Make Deals. But Tom Condon needs one deal done so he can do the other deal. That's a lot of work to be completed by July 15. And that's why the work on Dez Bryant's "Cowboys For Life'' contract has been accelerated.
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