Green Bay Packers roundtable: The Dez Bryant Saga continues
The weekly Green Bay Packers’ roundtable by Dairyland Express is back. This week, the experts talk about the newest rumors around Dez Bryant.
Three Dairyland Express writers sit down in this week’s edition of your Green Bay Packers‘ roundtable to answer some questions about Dez Bryant. He doesn’t seem to go away so we will continue to address the rumors. This week, former teammate Jason Witten speculated the Packers are the best landing spot for the wide receiver. Let’s check in with the boys:
What are the pros of the Packers signing Dez Bryant?
David Steger (@DavidSteger87): There are so many possibilities with Dez Bryant joining the lineup and having the offense being even more dangerous. He might not be as fast as he once was, but he can still high point the football just as good as anyone in the league. With Bryant’s catch radius and Aaron Rodgers‘s deadly accuracy combination would bring defensive coordinators to the point of having nightmares trying to stop the two.
He would solidify the outside spot across from Davante Adams giving Rodgers two home run threats on each side of the field. Defensive coordinators would have to pick their poison on choosing double coverages in Bryant, Adams, Jimmy Graham or Randall Cobb.
One of the biggest factors was seeing him after being released by the Dallas Cowboys in an ESPN interview. He looked like the motivated Dez Bryant of old and that would definitely be worth having.
Brandon Carwile (@PackerScribe): At first, I thought signing Bryant would be counterproductive following the release of Jordy Nelson. Why swap an aging receiver for another? Some argued Bryant has more left in the tank than a soon to be 33-year-old Nelson, which is fair. However, no one can dispute the impeccable chemistry Nelson had with Aaron Rodgers.
After giving it more thought, I am not as opposed to signing Bryant as I once was. The depth chart looks concerning after Green Bay’s top two guys and could be a disaster if Davante Adams gets hurt. Remember, he has already suffered numerous concussions, including two last season, and they don’t get better with age. Bryant would be a solid second option on the outside in the Packers offense. Right now third-year Geronimo Allison is poised to assume those duties, but he is far less proven. Even as he approaches 30, Bryant might be able to reach 1000 yards in a season with the right system.
Mike Wendlandt (@MikeWendlandt): If the Packers were to sign Bryant, they would be bringing in a guy who was seen as one of the ten best receivers as recently as 2015. Bryant uses his huge frame and his body control extremely well to work the boundary as well as anybody, including Jordy Nelson. Bringing in a guy like that would bring that element back to the Packers offense, opening up the sidelines a little bit more for Aaron Rodgers.
Beyond that, the Packers would be getting a little more swagger and confidence on the team that was infectious in Dallas. Bryant has supreme confidence in himself and knows that he can win any battle for the football. That kind of trait is something that doesn’t exist on the offense right now beyond Rodgers and Jimmy Graham. Having someone with that kind of edge on the field can always help a team, especially one like the Packers.