Report: Dez Bryant likely to skip offseason workouts if franchised
If the Dallas Cowboys elect to use their franchise tag on wide receiver Dez Bryant he will likely skip offseason workouts in response, according to ESPN's Ed Werder.
With it appearing more and more likely that the Cowboys are willing to use the tag to keep Bryant in Dallas on a one-year deal, the receiver finds himself in a strange bargaining position.
Related: Cowboys' Stephen Jones says team 'leaning towards' using franchise tag on Bryant
His only option is to threaten not to cooperate with the offseason program in an effort to secure a long-term contract worth $30-40 million guaranteed - as opposed to the $13 million he'd be guaranteed while franchised.
I wish They felt the same way but it's cool.. It's #business RT @FrankyGonzalez3: I love how dedicated @DezBryant is to the @dallascowboys
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) February 17, 2015
The negotiations have already begun to play out through the media, with the Cowboys threatening to use the tag in an effort to get a hometown discount should Bryant sign long-term. Though, Bryant's been voicing his disappointment on Twitter and letting it be known that he's capable of skipping workouts.
Cowboys executive vice president responded to Bryant's tweet, telling David Helman of the team's official website "We feel strongly about him, we've worked hard to get a long-term deal with him and we'll continue to work hard."
"If Cowboys cant get a deal done with Dez," He added. "The tag shows how much they care about him. Don't want to expose him to open market."