Why Dez Bryant Is the Most Important Piece the Dallas Cowboys Need to Bring Back

While the Dallas Cowboys have quite a few tough decisions to make this offseason, one decision Jerry Jones shouldn't even flinch about is whether or not to bring back Dez Bryant. Bryant is one of the most important men in Dallas these days, and there's no way the team will let Tony Romo's favorite target walk.

After the Cowboys fell just short of the 2014 NFC Championship Game, the focus quickly shifted from frustration over whether or not Bryant made a huge catch against the Green Bay Packers, to a very important offseason. Dallas has a whopping 17 unrestricted free agents, and 15 of them put together seasons that make them worthy of being re-signed.

While players like running back DeMarco Murray, offensive tackle Doug Free and linebackers Rolando McClain and Bruce Carter are all free agents, there is no one the Cowboys need to focus on bringing back more than Bryant. Jones may have been named the NFL's Executive of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America, but he'll need to pull off some magic to re-sign all five players listed above.

The numbers truly tell the story for Bryant and his success over the past three seasons:

Year	Games Played	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
2012	16	92	1,382	12
2013	16	93	1,233	13
2014	16	88	1,320	16

Bryant's ridiculous athleticism and knack for the end zone led to him being ranked in the top three for touchdowns scored every year since 2012. His ability to dominate single coverage makes life for every other player on the roster easier, and that includes Murray, who led the NFL in rushing in 2014.

The argument can be made that Murray makes life easier for quarterback Tony Romo, which is a fair statement, but it's worth noting that defenses are forced to give extra attention to Bryant on almost every play as well. While Romo has been pushing Jones to bring back both Bryant and Murray, it seems unlikely.

“I’m pretty consistently [talking to Jones], and everyone around the building, about bringing them both back,” Romo said on 103.3 [KESN-FM]. “I think everybody understands how great these guys are and how lucky we are to have them."

Unlikelihood of Bringing Back Murray

It's no surprise to see Romo backing both of his Pro Bowl teammates, but in order for the Cowboys to have a realistic chance to sign any other free agents, they can likely retain only one of the two offensive weapons.

It's been reported that Murray is looking for between $7 and $10 million per year, according to our own Jason Cole, but those types of contracts simply aren't handed out often to running backs anymore.

Currently, only six running backs earn more than $7 million per year. The list includes Adrian Peterson ($14.38 million), LeSean McCoy ($9 million), Arian Foster ($8.7 million), Matt Forte ($7.6 million), Marshawn Lynch ($7.5 million) and Jonathan Stewart ($7.3 million).

What really hurts Murray's push for a huge deal, is that the largest contract for a running back since 2011 was from the Panthers, who paid DeAngelo Williams $43 million over five years. Williams could be a potential cap casualty this offseason for Carolina, and to put it simply, the money goes to quarterbacks and wide receivers far more than running backs.

The Type of Contract Bryant Could Receive

Jerry Jones refuses to let Bryant go anywhere, even if it means slapping the franchise tag on him. If the Cowboys were forced to do that, they'd be paying their star wide out around $12.8 million for one season.

It's not a terrible number, since his average salary per year would likely be around that much if they signed him to a multi-year deal. There are perks to long-term deals, though, including a set amount of guaranteed money.

Essentially, instead of having to pay $12.8 million in one year that goes against the cap, they could work out a deal over five or six years, and would have a set guarantee over the span of the contract. This also gives both sides flexibility in the deal and allows the team to potentially restructure down the road, as they've done in the past with Romo's current deal.

Realistically, we should expect to see somewhere between $11 and $13 million per year for Bryant, which puts him in the same range as players like Vincent Jackson, Dwayne Bowe, Mike Wallace and Percy Harvin. The only larger contracts would be Larry Fitzgerald and Calvin Johnson, who both make over $16 million per year.

Where Dallas Could Spend Money If Only Re-signing Bryant

It's worth clarifying that while the Cowboys can spend money if they don't re-sign both Bryant and Murray, they won't be shopping at Tiffany's this offseason. However, this could allow the Cowboys to retain either Carter or McClain, as well as a young cornerback like Sterling Moore.

Defense is going to be the focus after working out a contract with Bryant, but choosing not to pay the hefty amount that Murray will likely ask is going to allow them to bring back some key pieces from the 2014 team. On top of that, it may allow them to look for Murray's replacement at a lower cost, which could be a player like Mark Ingram.