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Dez Bryant, the Dallas Cowboys’ fiery star receiver, was released on Friday.
“This was not an easy decision,” the team’s owner, Jerry Jones, said in a statement with few specifics. “It was made based upon doing what we believe is in the best interest of the Dallas Cowboys.
“Ultimately, we determined it was time to go in a new direction.”
Bryant, 29, is a passionate player known for highlight-reel catches. He was active on Twitter in the aftermath of the decision, saying: “Cowboy Nation, I need you to know this wasn’t my decision. I will always love y’all. Forever Dallas in my heart.”
He also implied that he might be looking to sign as a free agent with an N.F.L. team in the N.F.C. East, saying he hoped to play against the Cowboys twice a season.
The decision was announced after a meeting between Bryant and Jones on Friday.
Bryant’s release will save Dallas $8 million in valuable salary cap room. He was due to make a base salary of $12 million for the 2018 season.
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A first-round draft pick out of Oklahoma State, Bryant is a three-time Pro Bowl player who spent eight seasons in Dallas. He led the league in receiving touchdowns in 2014. After a season in which he was limited by injuries, he bounced back in 2016, and last season he played every game and finished with 838 yards and six touchdowns, both team bests. But he also was among the league leaders in drops, with six.
He was at the center of a controversy in the 2014 playoffs against the Green Bay Packers when he appeared to catch a fourth-down pass near the end zone late in the close game. But after a review, it was ruled that he failed to control the ball after he landed on the ground, part of the N.F.L.’s long disputed catch rule. The Cowboys lost the game and were eliminated.
Breakups aren't easy, especially those that come after an eight-year relationship. Dez Bryant learned that the hard way on Friday.
Following his release from the Dallas Cowboys, Bryant took to Twitter to express his thought process post-schism. Although the 29-year-old receiver admitted the move was a business decision and one that he expected, Bryant still took the release personally.
If I didn’t have my edge I got it now... I’m sorry they got to feel me it’s personal... it’s very personal — Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) April 13, 2018
In a series of tweets sent out in the hour following his release, Bryant expressed his love for the Dallas fans ("I will always love y'all), confirmed that he was not offered a pay cut ("I need you to know this wasn't my decision") and hinted that he is open to joining one of Dallas' NFC East rivals. Bryant told NFL Network's Jane Slater that he "feels free" following the cut and is "hyper motivated" to play for a new team next season.
In response to a statement sent out by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, which explained among other things that Dallas brass "arrived at this crossroad collectively with input from several voices within the organization," Bryant also intimated that he knew the decision to release him was not Jerry's alone.
Key words in this statement.. Several input.. something I already knew https://t.co/2P0mAIOSVs — Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) April 13, 2018
While Jerry Jones had stayed on the periphery on Bryant's offseason contract quagmire, Cowboys senior vice president Stephen Jones was more vocal. The younger Jones admitted at one point in February that keeping Bryant in Dallas in 2018 on his $12.5 million price tag would be "a tough one" and that Bryant understood "this is a business."
Bryant will be re-introduced to the business of football quickly.
For the first time in his career, Bryant will be a free agent -- and a highly sought-after one at that. NFL Network's Steve Wyche reported that the market will be "aggressive" for the receiver's services despite his release coming so late into free agency. Multiple players, including Tyrann Mathieu, Jamal Adams and Su'a Cravens, began Twitter-recruiting the wideout within minutes of his release.
Where Bryant lands remains to be seen. There are many WR-needy teams with salary-cap room to spare, but only three of them (Redskins, Eagles, Giants) play the Cowboys twice a year.
If Bryant wants to get back at the Jones and the Cowboys organization for how they handled his departure, landing with one of Dallas' most hated rivals is a good way to start.
ESPN's Todd Archer explains there were no talks of a pay cut for Dez Bryant, as Jerry Jones' plan was just to release him. (0:40)
The Dallas Cowboys have released wide receiver Dez Bryant, team owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Friday.
"As an organization, we hold Dez Bryant in the highest regard, and we are grateful for his passion, spirit and contributions to this team for the past eight years," Jones said in a statement. "He will always be a valued member of our family."
Bryant was informed of his release after arriving at The Star, the team's headquarters in Frisco, Texas. A source told ESPN's Todd Archer that Bryant, who met with Jones, was not offered a pay cut.
Another source added that Bryant, who reacted to his release on Twitter after the meeting, will not be designated a post-June 1 cut.
Cowboy nation I need you to know this wasn't my decision.. I will always love y'all... forever Dallas in my heart — Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) April 13, 2018
If I didn't have my edge I got it now... I'm sorry they got to feel me it's personal... it's very personal — Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) April 13, 2018
Agent Kim Miale of Roc Nation said Bryant is "currently exploring all options."
The Cowboys will save $8 million against the cap this season with the move.
"Dez and I share a personal and professional relationship that is very strong, and he is one of just a handful of players with whom I have become that close to over the past 30 years," Jones said in the statement.
Editor's Picks Why Dallas cut Dez: Production on field, attitude off it With Bryant's numbers dipping since signing an extension, the receiver's "fiery" personality was something the Cowboys could no longer overlook.
Best fits for Dez Bryant: Teams that make most sense Dez Bryant is looking for a new home, and he should have some intriguing options. NFL Nation reporters lay out which teams might be a match.
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"This was not an easy decision. It was made based upon doing what we believe is in the best interest of the Dallas Cowboys. We arrived at this crossroad collectively with input from several voices within the organization. Ultimately we determined it was time to go in a new direction."
Bryant's future had been the biggest topic of the Cowboys' offseason because of his $12.5 million base salary and $16.5 million salary-cap figure, which would have been the second-highest in the league among receivers behind the Bucs' Mike Evans ($18.25M).
Since signing a five-year, $70 million contract in 2015, Bryant, 29, has not recorded more than 69 catches or 838 yards in a season. The three-time Pro Bowl selection missed time in 2015 with a broken foot and was bothered in 2016 with a tibial plateau fracture.
In 113 games over his eight seasons with the Cowboys, Bryant has caught 513 passes for 7,459 yards and a franchise-record 73 touchdown receptions. His total receptions ranks third in franchise history, while his yardage total ranks fifth behind Jason Witten, Michael Irvin, Tony Hill and Drew Pearson.
Bryant, Irvin and Pearson all wore the No. 88 jersey for the Cowboys.
Clutches In The Clutch Dez Bryant has been one of the most clutch wideouts in the game, tallying 16 career touchdown catches in the fourth quarter or overtime of games within one possession. Only four receivers since the 1970 merger have more. Player Rec. TDs Terrell Owens 25 Jerry Rice 21 Cris Carter 20 Randy Moss 18 Dez Bryant 16 >> Pro Football Hall of Famer
The Cowboys made a bid to sign Sammy Watkins as free agency began and have since added receivers Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson. The Cowboys have also been linked to some of the top wide receivers in the draft, with Alabama's Calvin Ridley, Maryland's D.J. Moore and Oklahoma State's James Washington among the team's top 30 visitors to The Star.
At the recent owners meetings, Jones said he had not entertained the thought of Bryant not being on the roster in 2018. Coach Jason Garrett acknowledged the growth Bryant has experienced on and off the field since the Cowboys selected him in the first round of the 2010 draft, but he also said there is a business side to the NFL as well.
After releasing Bryant, the Cowboys have more than $21.5 million in cap space committed to their wide receivers -- Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley and newcomers Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson -- and have a run-first offense that will lean heavily on Ezekiel Elliott.
The Cowboys officially begin their offseason program Monday.
ESPN's Todd Archer contributed to this report.
