Watkins: Does Victor Cruz's contract impact Dez Bryant?

[Cowboysrule122]

By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com


When you look at some of the younger wide receivers in the NFL, finances are a major part of the discussion.

Which brings us to what the New York Giants' Victor Cruz is looking for from his team and what Dez Bryant could potentially demand from the Dallas Cowboys.

Cruz was tendered by the Giants at $2.8 million but wants a long-term deal averaging close to $10 million a season. The Giants want him to average less than that.

What does this mean for Bryant?

The young receiver is signed through 2014 and will make base salaries of $1.5 million in 2013 and $1.7 million in 2014. He's also slated to make $500,000 in workout bonuses the next two seasons.

Bryant is coming off a career season where he had 92 catches for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns. He's emerged as Tony Romo's main target in the passing game and might become the emotional leader of the offense if he continues on his current path.

The Cowboys need to be cautious what they pay Bryant because of his questionable decisions off the field -- which, in fairness, don't seem to be an issue anymore -- and what the top receivers make.

Larry Fitzgerald ($16.1 million), Calvin Johnson ($15.6 million), Andre Johnson ($14.4 million), Mike Wallace ($12 million) and Dwayne Bowe ($11.2 million) are at the top of the average salaries per seasons for wide receivers.

Does Cruz belong at that level? What about Bryant?

Whatever Cruz gets, Bryant's agent, Eugene Parker, will look at and make sure he tells Jerry and Stephen Jones to take care of his client from a financial standpoint.

 

[ZeroClub]

This would be a bigger issue if Dez could count.

 

[Cowboysrule122]

What Cruz's situation means for Dez Bryant


By Dan Graziano | ESPNDallas.com



We have talked a lot on here about the contract situation of New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz, who wants to get paid based on his No. 1 wide receiver production of the past two seasons, while his team wants to pay him as the top slot receiver in the league. We don't know how that situation will ultimately resolve itself, but once it does, it could have a ripple effect throughout the league for other wide receivers looking for contracts.
To that end, Calvin Watkins examines the possible impact Cruz's deal could have on Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant, whose contract expires after 2014 and is coming off a year in which he established himself as one of the most dangerous all-around wide receivers in the league:

The Cowboys need to be cautious what they pay Bryant because of his questionable decisions off the field -- which, in fairness, don't seem to be an issue anymore -- and what the top receivers make.

Larry Fitzgerald ($16.1 million), Calvin Johnson ($15.6 million), Andre Johnson ($14.4 million), Mike Wallace ($12 million) and Dwayne Bowe ($11.2 million) are at the top of the average salaries per seasons for wide receivers.

Does Cruz belong at that level? What about Bryant?

Whatever Cruz gets, Bryant's agent, Eugene Parker, will look at and make sure he tells Jerry and Stephen Jones to take care of his client from a financial standpoint.

I think it's impossible to make a prediction about Bryant's deal until we see at least one more year of Bryant. If he continues to show that he's got his off-field life together, and if he continues to play the way he did in 2012, he will indeed be able to ask for at least what Wallace and Bowe received, and likely more. If he slips up again off the field, or his play is inconsistent in 2013, or if he gets hurt, then old questions arise. I don't see Cruz cracking that top five Calvin listed here even if he gets every dollar he's asking for, so the only way he becomes a benchmark for Bryant is if Bryant does not continue to perform at that elite level over the next year or two. But I think 2012 was just the start for Bryant, who has the talent to become one of the very best in the entire league at his position.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

Jerry's going to pay Dez a fortune and be happy about it. That's how he is -- he thinks it highlights what a great draft pick he made.

Plus this is a guy who admitted after the Pacman trade that he's often bid against himself so that he knew he was overpaying. Weird, but he seemed very pleased with himself about it.