Where Will Dez Bryant Land?

Throughout the NFL off-season, it was speculated that the Dallas Cowboys would be looking to either trade or release wide receiver Dez Bryant due to his massive $12.5 million cap hit. On Friday, April 13th, the team pulled the trigger, releasing Bryant and saving $8.5 million in cap space. With Bryant now sitting as a free agent, where is the best possible landing spot?

Seattle Seahawks

Finishing up last season with a record of 9-7 and missing the playoffs, the Seattle Seahawks will be looking to bounce back with a new roster. The team lost Richard Sherman, Michael Bennett, and Jeremy Graham through the most recent off-season.

Outside of Doug Baldwin, Russell Wilson has very little weapons on offense to throw the ball to. With Dez Bryant on the free agent market, this is the perfect opportunity for Seattle to grab a wide receiver that can compliment the play of Wilson.

If Seattle is looking to stay competitive in a gritty NFC West, signing Bryant would be beneficial. Even though Bryant has not produced to the same degree in comparison to 2014, he is still a reliable option that can total 1,000+ receiving yards and 6+ touchdowns on an annual basis.

New York Jets

In a season where everyone expected the team to do horribly, the New York Jets surprised everyone by finishing the season with a record of 5-11. In the off-season, the team made noise in free agency by signing Trumaine Johnson, Teddy Bridgewater, Isaiah Crowell, Thomas Rawls, and Terrelle Pryor.

With an off-season like that, it makes sense for the team to go out and look into signing Dez Bryant. Regardless of who the starting quarterback is, Bryant has the ability to boost the numbers of any quarterback who utilizes him properly.

For years, New York has been missing a “go-to” option in terms of wide receivers, and Dez Bryant can finally fill that void.  With a defense that is getting younger and more versatile, hopefully Sam Darnold can quickly make an impact for this franchise on the offensive side of the ball.

New York contains the cap space to sign Dez Bryant, and now it’s just a matter of convincing the wide receiver to play in the AFC.

Philadelphia Eagles

With Carson Wentz leading Philadelphia to a record of 10-2, this is one of the most attractive destinations for any pending free agent. During the off-season, the Eagles managed to sign Haloti Ngata, Mike Wallace, and Richard Rodgers.

After getting cut by Dallas, Dez Bryant reportedly told Jerry Jones that he would have to see him twice a year. With that said, the only way he could do that is if he signs with an NFC East franchise such as the Philadelphia Eagles. Even though Alshon Jeffery plays a similar role to Bryant, the reps could be split between the two with ease.

The downside of Bryant signing with Philadelphia would be the lack of reps, and whether Bryant can put aside his ego as “the guy”. Out of all four NFC East teams, the Philadelphia Eagles give the wide receiver the best shot at a Super Bowl ring, and that should be the main focus.

Based on the cap space, this would be a barrier that both sides would need to get across.  While Philadelphia has spent a vast majority of their funds on the defense, it leaves very little wiggle room for the offense.

New York Giants

After a disappointing 3-13 record, the New York Giants are looking to leave last season in the past and bounce back this upcoming season. In the off-season, the team made improvements to the offensive line by signing Nate Solder and Patrick Omameh. The Giants also added running backs Jonathan Stewart and Saquon Barkley to balance out the run game.

With Eli Manning getting older, along with the fact that both Sterling Shepard and Odell Beckham Jr are coming off of season-ending injuries, this move makes perfect sense for the Giants. The addition of Bryant would not only makes this offense one of the most dangerous in the NFC East, but quite possibly in all the NFC.

While the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys are likely favored to secured the NFC East title above the New York Giants, the addition of Dez Bryant could change those odds entirely.

While the current drama unfolding with Odell Beckham Jr. is unfolding, perhaps the addition of Bryant is too much of a headcase for New York’s front office. If the Giants can land Dez Bryant at a reasonable price, this could make for quite the headline.

Washington Redskins

Finishing with a respectable 7-9 record last season, the Washington Redskins are looking to head into a new era with Alex Smith under center. The team invested a lot to acquire Smith, and now contain a player under a four-year contract worth $94 million. Alongside with receiving a new quarterback, Washington also acquired wide receiver Paul Richardson.

With a new quarterback at the helm, the Redskins need to surround Smith with quality options, and outside of Paul Richardson and Josh Doctson, the depth at the wide receiver position is nothing to get excited about. Out of every team listed, Washington has the most need for the wide receiver department.

Signing Dez Bryant would give Smith a reliable receiver that is able to stretch the field and make big plays when it counts. Out of all teams in the NFC East, this is the best chance for Bryant to prove his worth.

This would be a win-win signing for both sides, as Washington gains a legitimate receiver, while Bryant receives his wish of facing the Dallas Cowboys twice a year.

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