2011 NFL Offseason: Should the Cowboys Explore Trading Dez Bryant?

Before I delve to far into this topic let me be clear: Dallas will not trade the wide receiver and Jerry Jones will not field calls about Bryant. Besides, the NFL is locked out and nothing can happen until that mess is resolved.

On to the news of the week.

Last week Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that he would sit down with Bryant to talk about some of the issues he’s faced this off-season but the receiver didn’t show to the meeting.

Jones said that it was his fault that Bryant didn’t make the meeting and they talked the night before about it.

Now I’m not saying that I don’t believe Jerry but he’s been known to take up for players he favorites in the past.

While Bryant hasn’t had a spectacularly bad off-season where he’s made the local police report or shown up in local bar fights; Bryant’s so-called troubles are enough to keep him at the top of the headlines.

Dez also failed to show up the Cowboys facility last Friday for team trainers to take a look at his ankle to see how it’s healed since the end of last season but Bryant skipped that too. It was the one day the lockout was lifted and players were allowed in team facilities and Dez was a no-show.

So far Bryant is doing a horrible job of proving people wrong about his character. Many NFL teams had questions about Bryant’s attitude coming into the draft and for that reason the former Oklahoma State Cowboy fell deep in the first round to the Cowboys.

Dez’s former adviser Deion Sanders says that Dez needs to grow up and that he no longer deals with the young man.

Last month Bryant was in the news for financial reasons as he was sued by a New York jeweler for an unpaid debt.

That trip around Robin Hood’s barn brings us to this: Is Dez worth the trouble?

I understand that he’s a super talent and brings a level of explosiveness to the Cowboys not seen since the days of Deion Sanders. He’s a threat every time he touches the ball and when healthy the Cowboys have a better chance at winning.

But if these types of incidents keep happening would it be wise for Dallas to cut its loses early?

Remember last’s year’s game against the Saints when Bryant had a sideline meltdown and most just said that it was the receiver being passionate? Let's say he does that again this season and the next, would you still feel the same?

Obviously Bryant still has a lot of growing up to do and if he keeps running down this same road he’ll more than likely end up in the office of the man he and his wallet will not want to see: Commissioner Roger Goodell.

If the ‘Boys got rid of Bryant with some sort of trade they could pick-up a few draft picks and maybe a start defensive player to help shore up their defense. Dallas still needs help in the defensive backfield as Jerry failed to address the team’s needs via the draft.

NFL free agency is still an option but if that doesn’t work out the type of package Jones could put together for Bryant may end up being of the Herschel Walker status.

While the Cowboys will not entertain this idea right now, they may be forced to if Bryant remains a sports gossip fixation.