Dez Bryant will have tough time playing in NFL again

Dez Bryant was once an elite player in the NFL. Those days are long gone.

Bryant, 30, posted a video on his Instagram account on Monday showing him running a speed out. This after he tore his Achilles tendon back in November, just two days after signing a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints. Now a free agent once again, Bryant is trying to prove that he can play without limitations after one of the most serious injuries a pro athlete can endure.

The reality is that while Bryant is showcasing whatever talent he may still have, most NFL teams are going to be looking in another direction. The veteran wideout has not posted a 1,000-yard season since 2014, the last of his three consecutive such campaigns. Since then, Bryant went for 401 yards in an injury-plagued 2015 before bouncing back for 796 yards and eight touchdowns for the Dallas Cowboys in 2016. The last season he played a game, 2017, Bryant notched 838 yards and six scores in a full year.

Unfortunately, though, Bryant is looking at some trouble if he wants to get back on an NFL field.

For starters, he’s on the wrong side of 30 years old. Michael Crabtree was released by the Baltimore Ravens prior to the start of free agency. He’s a year older at 31, but he’s also been the better player over theist four years. He remains on the market despite no injuries.

This brings us to the second and perhaps biggest problem. Bryant was already seen as a player who had been significantly slowed down by foot injuries. Now he’s trying to rehab from an Achilles tear. While it would be foolish to simply count the man out, it would be equally foolish to believe he’s going to come back from this as though nothing has happened. Teams will assess the injuries and many will stay away based on that factor alone.

Finally, is Bryant worth bringing in at this juncture? If a team really wants to add a receiver, it’s likely going to look for younger help in free agency. If not, veterans like Pierre Garcon and Crabtree are going to get first crack because they aren’t coming off a serious injury.

Ultimately, Bryant’s best chance of ever seeing the field again is a midseason return on a contender, much like he was ready to do for New Orleans in 2018. It seems unlikely, but if there is a route, that’s it.