New York Giants: Reasons for and against signing Dez Bryant

The Dallas Cowboys said goodbye to Dez Bryant on Friday, immediately causing fans to speculate where he’ll end up. The New York Giants are a rumored destination, but should they sign the polarizing wideout?

After eight up and down seasons, Dez Bryant’s time with the Dallas Cowboys came to an end on Friday afternoon. Bryant was not offered a pay cut (which is expected to receive) but rather was shown the door by the team that gave him a chance in the NFL. Dez took the release personally and is ready to prove the Cowboys wrong. He even said he hopes to have the chance to play against Dallas twice a year to really stick it to Jerry Jones and company.

Bryant’s intention to play Dallas twice a year means he hopes to sign with a team in the NFC East. The Philadelphia Eagles do not have the need or the money for Bryant, but the New York Giants and Washington Redskins are somewhat serious possibilities. But should Big Blue pursue the mercurial wide receiver?

Why the New York Giants should sign Dez Bryant

Dez Bryant is not the same player who put up three straight seasons of at least 88 receptions, 1,233 yards, and 12 touchdowns from 2012-2014. However, in an “off-year” in 2017, Dez had 69 receptions for 838 yards and six touchdowns. Bryant was also the No. 1 wideout in Dallas and received a majority of the opposing defense’s attention. With Odell Beckham Jr. on the opposite side of the field, Dez will rarely see the opposing team’s top cornerback.

Bryant is just 29 years old (four months younger than Antonio Brown) so he could conceivably have plenty left in the tank. Bryant is also five years younger than Brandon Marshall, who he would likely be replacing on the Giants. New York does not have a lot of cap space to work with (just over $5 million according to spotrac) but they could clear another $5 million by releasing Marshall. Would Dez take a slight discount to play Dallas twice a year?

Perhaps the most attractive part of Big Blue signing Bryant is his increased motivation to prove the Cowboys wrong for releasing him. Dez has plenty of natural talent but a motivated Dez could be scary for the rest of the league. Between Dez and Odell, who would Josh Norman try to prove he can cover?

Why the New York Giants should not sign Dez Bryant

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I mean, it’s Dez Bryant. He doesn’t really fit the New York Giants mold that we’ve grown accustomed to. Some around the organization are running out of patience for Odell Beckham Jr.’s behavior but they’re going to try to control Dez? Seems far-fetched.

Bryant is past the days of needing a team babysitter but he’s not considered a model citizen who doesn’t need to be checked up on here and there. He’s also known to have sideline tantrums from time to time. Is he worth the potential headaches?

Another question Big Blue has to ask themselves is whether or not Bryant is a substantial upgrade over Brandon Marshall. Is saving $5 million by cutting Marshall to spend $10-12 million on Bryant worth it? There are also quality options in the NFL Draft. The Giants could save money and draft a receiver from the group of Marcell Ateman, Anthony Miller, DaeSean Hamilton, and Equanimeous St. Brown, among others.

In conclusion …

The New York Giants likely won’t be the team that signs Dez Bryant. The idea of Odell Beckham Jr. fighting for a new contract and Bryant trying to prove the Cowboys wrong is enticing. And as weird as it sounds, Bryant could help Odell with his maturity. Bryant has improved significantly off the field and he could help OBJ get his head right before he reaches the point that Dez did early in his career.

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However, the New York Giants typically like to stay out of the media and Odell is enough of a headline-grabber as is. Wide receiver is also not the top priority for Big Blue right now, especially with limited cap space. If Dez could play right tackle this would be a different story. The Giants could shock me and bring Bryant in, but my money is on him signing elsewhere.

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