Dez Bryant: Cowboys WR's Money Problems Expose Immaturity as Person and Player

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant may be one of the most athletically gifted players in the NFL, but one area in which he clearly is not gifted is financial responsibility.

According to a report by Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, Bryant may need a new contract in order to pay off some considerable debt.

It's incredible to think that a person who earned $2.84 million last year and is set to earn a base salary this year of $1 million in addition to a $1 million bonus can't keep his finances straight. Bryant apparently faced two lawsuits this offseason, one of which he has reportedly settled.

Unfortunately for Bryant, he'll have to make due with his "modest" salary for now, as he isn't permitted to receive a new deal until next season. If nothing else, Bryant's complete lack of fiscal awareness screams immaturity. It's understandable that a 22-year-old man might have issues with money management, but this is much more than an issue.

Rather than live within his means, Bryant has clearly spent as though he's the league's highest-paid receiver. That seems a bit presumptuous on his part. His potential is through the roof, but Bryant has yet to prove that he is worthy of that type of contract.

This situation will also force Bryant to put unnecessary pressure on himself. Instead of playing free and easy in 2011, Bryant will likely have his financial problems in the back of his mind each and every game.

Performing well is no longer something he wants to do for the good of the team, but something he has to do to save his financial credibility.

This isn't the first time Bryant has gotten into trouble, as he was ruled ineligible as a junior while at Oklahoma State University. This was due to Bryant lying about working out with Deion Sanders.

While it's abundantly clear that Bryant can't control his actions off the field, the Cowboys need to hope that his immaturity won't affect him on the field. If Bryant wants a new contract next season (which the Cowboys have absolutely no obligation to give him), then he'll need to have a huge season.

Bryant probably understands this, but he has to do what is best for the team and not what is best for himself and his financial situation. If Bryant simply isn't effective in a particular game and Tony Romo isn't throwing to him, then Bryant needs to know his role and refrain from being a diva.

If Bryant conducts himself on the field like he does off it, though, he could very easily prove to be a distraction for the Cowboys. For Dallas to even consider offering Bryant a new contract next season, he'll have to do more than have a monster season.

He'll have to prove himself to be a mature player and overall human being. However, that much remains to be seen.