Dez Bryant changes his mind, says he would've taken pay cut if Cowboys had asked

Remember back in December when Dez Bryant said he wouldn't accept a pay cut to remain with the Cowboys? Yeah, about that: It turns out, Bryant reconsidered his position. 

On Friday, Bryant told NFL Network's Jane Slater that he would've taken a pay cut if the Cowboys had asked. The only problem? They never asked before they abruptly cut him on Friday.

"Yeah, if it was offered," Bryant said about taking a pay cut, per "The only question I was going to have for that was: Even if I did take a pay cut, am I going to be able to come in to work and be happy? Will I be able to enjoy it? Because I already got a feeling that this person don't like me, this person don't like me." 

That's quite the reversal from his stance in late December.

"I haven't heard no talk about that but if it comes, I don't know, probably not," Bryant said at the time, via ESPN. "Hell naw, man. I believe in me."

Bryant hasn't pieced together a 1,000-yard season since 2014, but he was set to earn $16.5 million in 2018, which ranked as the third-highest cap hit among all receivers. As you can see below, Bryant was the only one of the bunch who failed to produce like a top-tier receiver over the past three seasons.

Now Bryant, who blamed some of his teammates for his release, is a free agent for the first time in his career. And he's got revenge on his mind. Immediately after he got released, Bryant made it known that he'd like to play for another NFC East team so he can see the Cowboys twice per season. The only issue is that the Eagles, Redskins, and Giants reportedly aren't interested in his services.

So, who is interested in acquiring a 29-year-old past his prime receiver? ESPN's Adam Schefter listed four possible destinations: Arizona, Baltimore, Buffalo, and Green Bay, all of which made our list of potential landing spots for Bryant. But that's all speculation. As of Saturday morning, no actual suitors have emerged.

What's clear is that Bryant is hitting free agency at the worst possible time. Not only is he clearly on the decline, but it's also mid-April, long past the time when teams were shelling out money for free agents.

Chances are, Bryant will have to take a pay cut regardless of when and where he signs. The good news is that he sounds like he's OK with that concept so long as he gets a chance to prove the Cowboys wrong.

CBS Sports Writer


Our Latest Stories