Dez Bryant: Will Cowboys Star Ever Be Consistent Enough to Be a Superstar?

Dallas Cowboys second-year wide receiver Dez Bryant is easily one of the most talented players in the NFL today.

At 6'2" with tremendous speed, insanely good hands and an uncanny ability to avoid tacklers, Bryant has the skills to be a consistent Pro Bowler.

So why, in just his second year, are there so many worries surrounding the star from Oklahoma State?

In one word, injury-prone. OK, two words connected with a hyphen. Same thing. Ever since his days as a Cowboy, uh Oklahoma State Cowboy I mean, Bryant has battled through injuries. 

In 2009, Bryant set Holiday Bowl records with 13 receptions and 168 yards, but he had to leave the game twice due a knee injury.

That right there is a microcosm of what his career is shaping up to be. He has an ability to put forth huge performances, but injuries stop those performances from being legendary. 

Fast forward past a missed half of season due to suspension—let's not add the question of character issues to the issue of injury-prone quite yet. He made a mistake in college, it's not the biggest deal—to Bryant with the Dallas Cowboys.

Bryant was beginning to figure things out as a rookie. He had scored in three straight games only to fracture his ankle in Week 12 and miss the rest of the season.

The same things are already happening in 2011. Bryant had a dynamic first drive of the season, pulling in two catches for 45 yards and a touchdown.

He then injured his quad on a kick return and only pulled in one more catch the rest of the game. Bryant then missed Week 2 and won't be at 100 percent for tonight's "Monday Night Football" game. 

The same ol' story. Bryant shows glimpses of how great he is, then misses more time with an injury. 

If there's a silver lining in all of this, it's that Bryant's two NFL injuries have occurred on kick returns and the Cowboys don't plan on putting him out there anymore.

That might help, I don't really know. I just know that if Bryant ever figures out how to stay healthy and stay consistent, he has the ability to be one of the best wide receivers this league has ever seen.

But that's a big if.