Dallas Cowboys: Dez Bryant Won't Need to Carry Anything for Roy Williams in 2011

It all started with Dallas Cowboys' wide receiver Dez Bryant refusing to carry the shoulder pads of fellow wideout, Roy Williams. The two players got off on the wrong foot right off the bat.

A year later, the Dallas Cowboys have told Williams, a former Longhorn, his services are no longer needed. Bryant was probably all too willing to carry Williams' bags out to his car for him as soon as he heard the news.
Owner Jerry Jones has not only released what could quite possibly be the worst trade for this franchise in quite some time, but he's now handed the keys to the wide receiving corps to a guy who can't seem to keep his name out of the news. And not a good way, either.
There was no surprise that the Cowboys made the move they did although from what was said over the radio air waves earlier in the week, it sounded as if Dallas was going to take a $12 million cap hit if they did end up releasing Williams.
But, thanks to a certain rule that allowed the team to make the move retroactive to June 1st, that $12 million cap hit turned in to a $5 million pay day for the team.

Bryant will not be trusted as the number one option for quarterback, Tony Romo, regardless of what anyone else wants to say about no-name turned star wide receiver, Miles Austin.
All the problems the Cowboys have had with Dez Bryant and all the times they've had to do some public relations work to cover for yet another stupid decision, it seems as if Jones is ready to let the young athlete show his potential on the field.
They are now apparently ready to allow Bryant to show fans he can put the off the field drama behind him and become the star Jerry Jones believes he can be. He did draft the young wide receiver out of Oklahoma State for a reason, right?
Bryant and Williams weren't exactly the best of friends. In fact, I'm not even sure you could say they were acquaintances. And now with the team deciding to move on without the veteran wide receiver, Bryant is now laughing all the way to the perverbial bank.

Now Bryant is saying to himself, "see, I knew he wasn't worthy of me carrying his pads."
Was this the smartest move for the Cowboys to make? Was Williams that bad that they just didn't believe he belonged with this team for the 2011 season?
That question could have mroe answers than one and it could be a debate that could be completely one sided. There is one thing we know for sure.
It's certainly not the first time Roy Williams has been dismissed.

The Dallas Cowboys Have The Talent to Win, But Can They Put it Together?

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What comes to your mind when I mention players like Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Jay Novacek, and Emmitt Smith?

How about champions, greatness, tradition, and everything that epitomizes who the Dallas Cowboys are. Those four players were some of the biggest reasons the Cowboys were called "America's Team" for so long. It's the reason the Cowboys are still known as one of the best franchises in NFL history.

When those four players left for retirement, a new era of players donned the silver star on the helmet.

But in each of the last 16 seasons, the Cowboys haven't shown the greatness this franchise use to be all about. In fact, they've been everything but great.

A single playoff victory is all this franchise has been able to accomplish since the aforementioned four players hung up their gear for good.

Scott Boehm/Getty Images

The team formerly known for greatness is now known for underachieving and mediocrity with no end in sight.

With the 2011 season very much in question, new head coach Jason Garrett, quarterback Tony Romo, and a list of talented offensive and defensive players, this team has no more room for error.

During the 2010 season all of the team's problems were blamed on then head coach, Wade Phillips. While the team played better under Garrett after Wade was fired, this team still missed the playoffs by a long shot. Now that their reason for losing is out the door, their excuses have no room to make their presence known.

No longer are they able to say they aren't motivated to play and no longer can they say their head coach isn't holding them accountable.

It's time for the Dallas Cowboys to step up and become the team they once were.

After the team drafted running back DeMarco Murray, it became the first step in moving on from Marion Barber who has been less than impressive over the last few seasons. The guy who used to be one of the up and coming stars did a disappearing act and has fans begging to see a trade to send Marion out of town.

Murray, a former running back with the Oklahoma Sooners, along with current running backs Tashard Choice and Felix Jones, makes a scary trio out of the Cowboys backfield.

Romo will return to the quarterback position after sitting out most of the 2010 season with a broken collarbone. Though some of his teammates say he should have to earn the starting role again against backup Jon Kitna, it's not likely that Garrett will have any sort of battle between the two veterans.

Wide receivers Roy Williams, Miles Austin, and Dez Bryant are arguably three of the most talented wide receivers in the league and it doesn't hurt that they play for the same team.

There's no reason this Dallas Cowboys' team can't make it deep into the playoffs if the 2011 season ever gets underway.

They have no excuse as to why they would falter or sputter and die before getting to the Super Bowl for the 17th straight season. The players are in place and the head coach is in place.

All they need to do now is show it on the field.

Andre Gurode, Dallas Cowboys Say They Have Reached Out to Dez Bryant

Dez Bryant has been the source of a lot of headaches for the Dallas Cowboys during the off season.

With his run-ins at an upscale mall in Dallas and owing money to a jewelry store, some wonder what we still might not know about the Dallas Cowboys' wide receiver.

His former mentor, Deion Sanders, has jumped ship and is no longer speaking to the second year wideout. He told ESPN radio a few weeks ago that Bryant needed help and he had told the Cowboys as much in earlier conversations with them. He, however, was done trying to help him out when it seemed Bryant wouldn't help himself.

While "Prime Time" might not be there for Bryant, it seems his Cowboys teammates are ready to pick up the slack.

Cowboys' center Andre Gurode joined 105.3 FM The Fan in Dallas on Wednesday morning and was asked about reaching out to Bryant and trying to keep him in line.

"You know, I think we have a close-knit group and we all want the best for Dez," Gurode said. "We have reached out to try and get in contact with him and tell him that this is a situation that you’re going through and we want you to get through it, and get over it. And if you need any help, call one of us and we’ll definitely sit down and talk to you."

Whether or not Gurode of any of his teammates can get through to this young wide receiver isn't a given but Gurode and the rest of his teammates need to make this an internal conversation. If there is anyone Bryant is going to listen to it has to be the veteran's in the locker room, right?

I know there was the drama surrounding him and Roy Williams during training camp last year and it didn't start Bryant's career off as a Cowboy on the right foot. But when it comes to guys who can get through to a young guy who needs to be turned around and put on the right path, Gurode is the right guy to start things off.

Nothing has worked yet, maybe this is a latch ditch effort to see how Bryant responds. If he doesn't and continues to get in trouble, one has to wonder whether Jerry Jones and the rest of the front office and coaching staff might have to make other plans for his future.


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