The Dallas Cowboys have officially used the franchise tag for the fifth time in franchise history when it was placed on receiver Dez Bryant on Monday afternoon.
The long-expected move means that Bryant will be guaranteed as $12.8 million next season once he signs the deal.
By applying the non-exclusive tag to Bryant, the Cowboys have until July 15 to sign him to a long-term deal. If an agreement is not reached, he would have to play the season with the tag.
The tag came as no surprise because the Bryant and the Cowboys have made no progress on a long-term deal.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Bryant would be on the team in 2015 “one way or another,” as they were not going to let him it the free agent market.
The non-exclusive franchise tag ensures that Cowboys remain in control of the situation. If Bryant does get an offer from another team, the Cowboys get the right to match the deal or get two first-round picks as compensation.
Vice-president Stephen Jones said the team will continue to work with Bryant and his representatives, led by Tom Condon, on a long-term contract extension.
Bryant has expressed disappointment in the past over the prospect of being franchised. The question now is how he will respond and whether he boycotts the offseason program, minicamp and possibly training camp.
Condon discussed the Bryant situation on Sirius NFL Radio Monday and said the franchise tag was not a bad thing. He also intimated Bryant understood that this was a business move and not personal.
“Dez understands this business and so do the Cowboys,” Condon said. “We will continue to work with Stephen and Jerry on this.”
Keeping Bryant has been team’s No. 1 priority since the start of the offseason season. Bryant, 26, is deemed irreplaceable and considered one of the Cowboys’ cornerstone players for the future.
He proved again in 2014 that he one of the league’s best receivers with an NFL-leading 16 touchdowns on 88 catches for 1,320 yards.
Bryant was named first-team All-Pro selection and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive season.
Bryant leads in the NFL in touchdown receptions with 56 since the Cowboys picked him in the first round out of Oklahoma State in 2010.
No player in history has more touchdowns, receptions (381) and yards (5,424) in the the same time span.
What’s also important to the Cowboys is the growth and maturity Bryant has shown on and off the field over the past five years.
He is considered a team leader and owner Jerry Jones recently compared his combustible emotion in a positive way to that of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali.
The Cowboys used the tag previously on tackle Flozell Adams in 2002, safety Ken Hamlin in 2008 and twice on defensive end Anthony Spencer in 2012 and 2013.
Hamlin is the one who didn’t play under the tag as he signed a long-term contract extension before the season.
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