Dez Bryant wants to make a comeback. The former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver has made that clear over the last few months on social media. Since he left the Cowboys, he's been trying to play in the NFL. But interestingly enough, now he's making his case to come back to Dallas. Recently, he even posted a video of him training in Frisco. Heck, he's gone as far as saying “give me the role they gave Witten” just to come back.
Naturally, this has many Cowboys fans excited for a potential return. Although we haven't heard or seen any report saying this is a possibility, many in Cowboys Nation can't stop talking about it. Even DeMarcus Lawrence is in the bandwagon.
I can't tell you that I don't understand this excitement because I do. It's Dez Bryant! The franchise's all-time leader in touchdown receptions. One of Tony Romo's favorite targets. A wide receiver that was absolutely dominant over the first five years of his career. Especially for the younger generation of fans, he's one of the favorites.
But I disagree with the excitement. Bringing Dez Bryant back wouldn't be a good idea. When the Cowboys released Bryant it came as a surprise due to the timing of it. But the truth is the last time he was dominant on the field was in 2014 when he was named a first-team All-Pro after racking up 1,320 yards and 16 touchdowns.
After that, he had a handful of forgettable seasons, especially considering he was being paid like an elite receiver. Injuries came frequently, missing 10 games between the 2015 and 2016 seasons. In Dak Prescott's first two years as the Cowboys starting quarterback, Bryant wasn't much of an impact. Sure, he had some good plays here and there, but nothing really special.
After his release in 2018, Bryant headed to New Orleans midseason to play with the Saints, where he suffered an Achilles injury in practice before even suiting up for gameday.
Why are fans so excited about bringing back a 31-year-old wide receiver that hasn't been great since 2014 and hasn't played a single football game since 2017?
“Let's bring him in with less pay!” some argue. But hear me out, there are other free agents available. If what we want is to upgrade the wide receiver position or give it more depth, going with a younger player with upside might be the best option. Not to mention, it's a deep WR rookie class and the NFL Draft will provide a ton of options for the Cowboys.
Even re-signing 30-year old Randall Cobb is a way better idea. He fills a starting position in the slot and has played well over the last couple of seasons.
Be it through free agency or the Draft, there are better options. Other than nostalgia, I don't see any reason to bring Dez back.
