Veteran wide receiver Dez Bryant recently expressed his desire to return to the NFL after a one-year absence due to a torn Achilles. Last November, Bryant signed a one-year deal worth $1.25 million deal with the New Orleans Saints, seven months after he was released by the Dallas Cowboys due to a disagreement with offensive coordinator Scott Linehan. The 31-year-old wide receiver suffered the injury two days after signing the deal, putting his NFL career in jeopardy. Despite the setback, Bryant said he’s willing to take another shot in reviving his NFL career In his last season with the Cowboys, Bryant caught 69 passes for 838 yards and six touchdowns in 2017 in 16 games.
In his eight-year stint with the Cowboys, the veteran wideout has caught 531 passes for 7,459 yards and a franchise-record 73 touchdowns. In his latest workout videos, Bryant has shown that he’s fully recovered from his injury and he’s in top condition to contribute to a playoff contender in the second half of the season.
Analyst says Patriots could show interest in Bryant
According to Patrik Walker of CBS Sports, the New England Patriots could be one of the teams that could show interest in Bryant. According to Walker, the Patriots have had a merry-go-round at wide receiver, with the signing and subsequent release of veterans such as Demaryius Thomas and Antonio Brown. The Patriots also welcomed the return of Josh Gordon from indefinite suspension, but they recently placed him on the waiver wire where he was claimed by the Seattle Seahawks.
The Patriots acquired veteran wideout Mohamed Sanu via trade with the Atlanta Falcons and got back rookie N’Keal Harry from injury, but Walker said veteran quarterback Tom Brady wouldn’t mind adding another target in Bryant, who could provide a needed boost to New England’s offense in their last seven games.
The Patriots suffered their first loss this season at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens, but they have remained as Super Bowl favorite.
Walker said Bryant’s addition could help pull the Patriots away from the competition. The Patriots have around $3 million in salary cap, more than enough to sign Bryant for the rest of the season if the veteran wideout can prove that he could help New England in its push for a seventh Super Bowl trophy. Aside from the Patriots, Walker said the Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers and the Ravens.
Harry displaying intensity in practice
Veteran safety Devin McCourty was impressed with the intensity being shown by Harry during practice to the point that he annoyed some of the team’s defensive backs but in a positive way. “I think that is the good thing about seeing him out there running around,” McCourty said of the 6-foot-4, 225-pound rookie wideout during an interview with WEEI’s “Dale & Keefe.” The Patriots added Harry, their first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, to the 53-man roster last Saturday but he was inactive against the Ravens. He is expected to play when the Patriots take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 17.
