The Cleveland Browns offered Dez Bryant a deal, but the wide receiver turned it down, which actually is a positive for the team.
There should have been a feeling of inevitability regarding the Cleveland Browns signing free-agent wide receiver Dez Bryant. From his appearance at the facilities that was featured on Hard Knocks to all of the noise and he Browns players were making, it seemed inevitable that the former Cowboys wideout would make his way to Cleveland.
In this instance, however, the inevitable turned out to be not so much that. It’s not that Bryant wasn’t offered by the Browns, but rather that he wanted more than what they were willing to offer him.
According to a report from Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Browns offered Bryant a deal worth less than $5 million per year. However, the boisterous wide receiver turned it down, looking for more money to play this season. As such, the Dez-to-Cleveland talk seems to be nothing but talk once again, and maybe even less-substantial talk than before.
In reality though, the Browns are lucky that Bryant didn’t take them up on their offer. No, it’s not a financial thing. In fact, when you look at the talent that Bryant possesses and the deal that was offered, there was upside in terms of the value of that contract. However, that’s only when you’re looking at the talent on the field.
On a larger scale, Cleveland is coming off of two seasons where they’ve combined for a single victory. Head coach Hue Jackson and new general manager John Dorsey are trying to not just finally win games, but create a positive culture within the organization. Bryant, more than likely, would’ve been a hindrance to that.
Throughout his time in Dallas, Bryant was talked about for his prima donna antics, and talk of that only picked up when the Cowboys cut him this offseason. He was reportedly routinely late to meetings and truly seemed to believe that he was above the team in some instances. That’s the polar opposite of what the Browns roster needs right now.
As we’ve seen from Hard Knocks and even throughout preseason play, Cleveland is heading in the right direction. At the same time, though, this is a team that is still building. When a franchise is in the midst of that process, they have to avoid potential roadblocks in the process, which Bryant could have been had the antics that he showed with the Cowboys carried over to the Browns.
You can’t give the Cleveland front office credit for realizing this and not signing him because, well, they did offer him a deal. What you can say, however, is that the Browns are fortunate that Bryant ultimately valued himself more than the team values him as a player. In the long run, it’ll be better for the team, culture and future.