New Orleans Saints: Does Dez Bryant make team favorites in NFC?

Former Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant was patient in free agency and it paid off as he landed with the New Orleans Saints, but does he move the needle?

He waited for a very long time, but Dez Bryant finally found a new home with the New Orleans Saints. After a Tuesday workout, the veteran receiver came to terms on a one-year deal, which will allow him to test free agency again in 2019.

The signing also allows Dez to play for a contender, something that wasn’t going to happen had he rushed and signed with either the Cleveland Browns or Baltimore Ravens — the two other teams that reportedly offered him deals this year.

New Orleans currently owns a 7-1 record after reeling off their seventh-consecutive win over the Rams this past week. They’re currently leading the NFC South and have a shot to be the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC.

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That means Bryant will be there for their run at a title, but can he move them from contenders to favorites?

Well, maybe. Bryant has been impressive in the playoffs during his career. Despite Dallas only making the postseason twice, he has had some great games including his last appearance which followed the 2016 season.

Against the Green Bay Packers that year, Bryant had nine receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns. It was the one time he and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott seemed to be on the same page. It also gave the Cowboys hope for a big season in 2017 out of the former Pro Bowl receiver.

That didn’t happen as Bryant and Prescott failed to get on the same page all season. That led to his release and, of course, this long wait for him to find a new home.

Good news for Bryant is his new quarterback has a style that’s much more similar to that of Tony Romo, the quarterback Bryant excelled with. Brees will push the ball downfield more than Prescott and also has a much better ability to anticipate routes as well as defenders reactions.

It’s will be interesting to see Bryant and Brees work together. While he won’t overtake Michael Thomas as the favorite target of Brees, he does offer a great option in the red zone — and has been a big performer in the playoffs. There may be baggage with the volatile Bryant who has never been fond of not being the go-to guy, but New Orleans is taking a calculated risk that could pay off big.