Why Dez Bryant's New Deal Is Great for Both Him and the Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys and wide receiver Dez Bryant reached an agreement on a five-year, $70 million deal—with $45 million in guaranteed money—on Wednesday afternoon, sources told ESPN.com's Chris Mortensen, which is great news for both sides.

On Monday, Bryant threatened to hold out if a deal wasn't reached by Wednesday's 4 p.m. ET franchise-tag deadline, tweeting that he wouldn't report to camp:

While it is true that Bryant was trying to put pressure on the Dallas front office to meet his demands, he may very well have held out had he not received his new contract, and him missing games would have been devastating for that Cowboys offense.

Without Bryant, Dallas' starting receivers with the roster as currently constructed would have been Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley and Devin Street. 

Sure, Beasley and Williams combined for 12 receiving touchdowns last season, but that's in large part due to the attention Bryant demanded on the outside, making it easier for them to get open.

Consider the fact that Dallas is also trying to replace DeMarco Murray's 2014 league-leading 1,845 yards out of the backfield with Darren McFadden, and Bryant is indispensable to the Cowboys offense, regardless of how good the offensive line is.

The first five games on Dallas' schedule include matchups against two division rivals—the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles—as well as tough games against the New Orleans Saints on the road and the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.

Owner Jerry Jones admitted that the possibility of a Bryant holdout was received with caution, according to Todd Archer of ESPN:

Bryant's absence early in the season would have been difficult to deal with, but the Cowboys no longer have to consider the idea of him holding out now that he's under a long-term contract.

He's been one of the more productive receivers in the NFL since entering the league in 2010, and there's no reason to believe Bryant won't continue to play at an elite level.

In five seasons, Bryant has caught 381 passes, 56 touchdowns and accumulated 5,424 yards. 

Over the past three years, Bryant has raised his efficiency, joining Demaryius Thomas—who also got a new deal on Wednesday—in putting up some impressive numbers, as ESPN Stats and Info noted:

Of all the Cowboys, no player should be happier about Bryant's new contract than quarterback Tony Romo.

During Dallas' organized team activities back in May, Romo indicated that he missed his No. 1 target, according to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News.

"Obviously when you have him, it makes things a little bit easier," Romo said, per Machota. "Tell him to come on back." 

LM Otero/Associated Press

Bryant's relationship with Romo has improved greatly in recent years. The infamous sideline tantrum of 2013, when Bryant was upset about not getting enough targets, is a distant memory.

Since then, Bryant has focused his energy on praising his Pro Bowl quarterback and bailing him out by high-pointing tough catches in traffic in big moments:

There should be a lot more Romo-to-Bryant connections over the next five seasons, with the duo seemingly having settled any issues they may have had in the past.

So why is this deal great for Bryant, aside from the fact that it makes him an extremely wealthy man?

Well, he's comfortable in Dallas, and he's finally surrounded by people who have gotten through to him.

Since a domestic violence arrest in 2012, per ESPN.com, the mercurial star receiver has been well-behaved for the most part.

Following the arrest, Bryant agreed to a strict set of rules the Cowboys laid out to keep him away from trouble, according to Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com, which included a midnight curfew, no alcohol and counseling sessions.

The Cowboys also made sure to have a member of a security team with Bryant at all times.

Dallas took a big gamble on Bryant—who was suspended for most of his junior season at Oklahoma State in 2009—when it chose him with the 24th pick in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft.

LM Otero/Associated Press

His off-the-field problems were well-documented coming out of college. Ex-scout Bryan Broaddus called Bryant's background the worst he had ever seen in an interview on Dallas radio station 105.3 FM (h/t Frank Schwab of Yahoo):

"When you look at what he went through," Broaddus said, per Yahoo Sports, "and then you're talking about these players, and it's hard for them to get away from these people in their lives because these people have been with them when they were nothing, when they were nobodies."

Right now, Bryant is surrounded by positive influences within the Cowboys organization, people who genuinely want the best for him.

Before joining the Cowboys, there was no stability in his life, but that's no longer the case.

Bryant is in a great environment right now, and he's a part of a big football family in Dallas willing to do whatever it takes to help him succeed on the field and, most importantly, out in the real world.