Dez Bryant Franchise-Tagged by Cowboys: Latest Contract Details and Reaction

Dez Bryant has spent the last three seasons grasping his full potential and establishing himself as one of the most dominant wide receivers in the NFL. 

For now, he'll play under the franchise tag as he and the Dallas Cowboys try to work out a long-term contract. The team announced the move via its official website.

Owner Jerry Jones provided the following statement:

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I can tell you I’m not that excited about the franchise tag with Dez simply because I’d like to have our agreement and our business in place for a long time to come with Dez. But the franchise is there for a reason and situations like this are what everyone had in mind.

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Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports and Adam Schefter of ESPN first reported the Cowboys' decision.

Garafolo provided Bryant's salary details:

"Yeah, I deserve it," Bryant told ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon in May when asked about potentially ranking among the highest-paid receivers in the league. "I deserve it. I feel like I do. I put the work in."

However, Bryant hasn't always felt like the Cowboys shared his belief:

By comparison, Calvin Johnson became the highest-paid wideout in 2012 when the Detroit Lions gave him an extension worth up to $132 million over eight years.

Over the past three seasons, Bryant has played all 48 games, racking up 273 receptions, 3,935 yards and 41 touchdowns. He has turned into one of the most dangerous downfield and red-zone threats in the league, capable of making some spectacular, unstoppable plays on the ball.

Even with the growing depth at the position, a strong argument can be made that he is the best wide receiver in the NFL. As ESPN's NFL Twitter feed noted, he sits among very rare company:

From time to time, Bryant can still be found on the sideline yelling at teammates or perhaps letting his emotions get the better of him. But in terms of talent, there aren't many on his level. At his age, it's scary to think he is just entering his prime and is still capable of getting better.

The Cowboys have some difficult decisions this offseason with a handful of talented free agents, and it will be interesting to see what this means for the future of running back DeMarco Murray.

But franchising Bryant—one of the biggest mismatches in football—was always a no-brainer.