After Drafting 3 Receivers, Will the Packers Sign Dez Bryant?
Bryant remains a free agent after the draft after turning down a multi-year contract from the Baltimore Ravens. He’s consistently stated that he wants to play in the NFC East in order to face the Cowboys twice in 2018, but none of the other three teams in the division have shown much interest thus far.
Green Bay drafted three wide receivers in the fourth round or later – J’Mon Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown. At the surface, the Packers addressed this position much like they did in 2017 at running back. Gutekunst and his front office selected a trio of wide receivers who each bring a different set of skills than the pass catchers on the roster today.
It’s unlikely that the Packers aggressively pursue Dez Bryant following the investment they made at the wide receiver position in the draft. However, Bryant’s contract demands – a one-year deal that would allow him to be an unrestricted free agent next offseason – are in line with how Gutekunst and Russ Ball have approached free agency.
The longer Bryant remains a free agent, the more likely it is the salary he’s in search of decreases. We don’t know exactly how the team plans to use Moore, Valdes-Scantling, and St. Brown in 2018.
Last season, Green Bay carried Trevor Davis and Jeff Janis on their roster as special teams-only players. If the same holds true for these rookies, there is still an opportunity for Bryant on the Packers’ roster.