With Wednesday’s 4 PM EST franchise tender deadline looming, two of the top wide receivers in the NFL got long-term deals with their respective teams done just in the nick of time.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported around 3 PM EST Wednesday that the Dallas Cowboys had agreed to terms with Dez Bryant on a staggering five-year, $70 million deal with $45 million guaranteed.
The #Cowboys and Dez Bryant have an agreement in principle on a 5-year, $70M deal, per sources.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 15, 2015
Final Dez Bryant numbers: 5 years, $70M, $45M guaranteed. Simply, wow.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 15, 2015
Dez Bryant signing his deal RT @nickeatman: pic.twitter.com/gGvwe3XEDn
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 15, 2015
It’s a relieving resolution for the Cowboys who were being hardballed by Bryant with the 26-year-old threatening to ditch training camp and even miss games in the regular season if a long-term deal was not reached before the deadline. Bryant seemed intent on holding out and even sent out the following tweet just this past Monday:
As much as I love football…on my beautiful babies.. I apologize #cowboynation but I will not be there if no deal #fact
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) July 13, 2015
But the Cowboys increased their offer in recent days and were able to hammer out a deal with Bryant.
The two-time Pro Bowler is one of the top vertical threats in the league and is coming off a 2014 season where he recorded 88 receptions for 1,320 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns.
Bryant reportedly wanted to get more than Calvin Johnson money from the Cowboys. While the $14 million average annual value on Bryant’s new deal comes up short of Megatron’s $16 million AAV from the Detroit Lions, his $45 million in guaranteed money is the highest sum for a wide receiver under his current contract.
Most Receiving Touchdowns, since 2011:
Dez Bryant, 50
Jimmy Graham, 46
Rob Gronkowski, 44
Jordy Nelson, 43
Calvin Johnson, 41
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) July 15, 2015
Dez Bryant is 1 of 3 Cowboys receivers to have 3+ straight 1,000-yard seasons. pic.twitter.com/s7nyr6xkRB
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) July 15, 2015
Meanwhile, just minutes after Bryant’s deal was announced, Demaryius Thomas was reported to have gotten a deal done with the Denver Broncos for a strikingly similar amount (five-years, $70 million, $43.5 guaranteed.
Denver and Demaryius Thomas reach agreement on matching 5-year, $70 million deal that includes $43.5M GTD, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 15, 2015
Thomas was enduring a frigid negotiating period of his own, and as a talent comparable to Bryant, was able to get a lucrative deal comparable to Bryant’s as well.
Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas: both wear number 88 and reportedly got nearly identical contracts – 5 yrs, $70 million pic.twitter.com/9qtuvm1XkD
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 15, 2015
The Georgia Tech product posted 111 receptions for 1,619 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in the 2014 season. Broncos GM John Elway was quick to express his excitement on Twitter after the deal was completed:
Thrilled to reach a long-term deal with Demaryius. He is one of the NFL’s top WRs & will continue to be a big part of the Broncos' success!!
— John Elway (@johnelway) July 15, 2015
The big bucks constitute market value for the two elite wideouts, and locking up the favorite targets of Peyton Manning and Tony Romo long-term is huge. It will go a long way towards ensuring that the two franchises advance past the divisional playoffs next season, where both the Broncos and the Cowboys met their respective demises last year.
