James Lofton: ‘I think Dez Bryant wants to be a Cowboy’

The big meeting between Dez Bryant and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is set for Friday.

James Lofton, a Hall of Fame receiver and SiriusXM NFL Radio co-host, thinks the best result would be for Bryant to remain with the Cowboys. He also believes Bryant’s contract is fairly up to date with other top receivers in the NFL.

‘Last year he had a quarterback who, playing in his second year, did not just hoist the ball in Dez Bryant’s direction often enough’

And Lofton thinks Bryant will go back to being a highly productive player — as long as quarterback Dak Prescott throws his way more often than he did in 2017.

“Is Dez making the top money for his position?” Lofton said on the SiriusXM Blitz with Bruce Murray. “He was, for awhile, one of the top two or three guys paid at his position. And, over the last couple of years he hasn’t had the consistent numbers. There’s been some injury, last year he had a quarterback who, playing in his second year, did not just hoist the ball in Dez Bryant’s direction often enough.

‘If Dez wasn’t clearly open, he probably wasn’t going there in the middle of the field’

“I still think that if you give Dez Bryant enough 50-50 balls, he’s going to win a lot of those. But his quarterback was a little more cautious than that. If Dez wasn’t clearly open, he probably wasn’t going there in the middle of the field. Now, in the red zone, it’s a different story.”

Lofton said the outcome of the meeting between Bryant and Jones will be interesting, but he doesn’t necessarily think the receiver’s message will be that the Cowboys should trade him.

‘I still think he fits probably best with the Cowboys and just utilize him a little more’

“I’m not sure if Dez Bryant deserves to be playing elsewhere,” Lofton said. “I think Dez Bryant wants to be a Cowboy. And is he a system player? I’m not exactly sure what system that you think Dez Bryant would fit best in. I still think he fits probably best with the Cowboys and just utilize him a little more. If he catches three passes more a month, all of a sudden you have a different type of season than what he had last year. He’s not far off.

“He signed a five-year, $70-million contract with the Cowboys and that was a few seasons ago. And we just saw Jarvis Landry signed a five-year, $75-million contract. So (Bryant’s) salary is still way up there. He just needs to produce more.”