Even though Bryant hasn’t suited up in two years, he brings a skill-set that Baltimore needs.
In 2018, Dez Bryant joined Drew Brees in New Orleans in what looked like an exciting quarterback-wide receiver partnership. This dream would soon end, though, after Dez tore his Achilles. That injury not only ended his 2018 season he was out for 2019, too. But now Bryant has a new lease on his football life–signed to the Ravens’ practice squad.
The big question is what, if any impact, the former first-round draft pick will have in Baltimore?
With just under 7,500 yards and 73 touchdowns on his career (over 113 games), Bryant is one of the best wide receivers of this decade. With elite hands and physicality, he was a constant threat in eight years of pro ball.
Bryant had great years with the Dallas Cowboys, where he put up three 1,000-yard+ seasons in a row–from 2012-2014. Even in less productive years (after Dak Prescott took over from Tony Romo at QB), Bryant still managed 16 touchdowns over two seasons, including a memorable playoff performance that saw him gain 132 yards and score two TDs.
But that was then. Now it’s 2020, and Baltimore is chasing another Super Bowl title. Will Bryant be able to perform the way he performed with the Cowboys? While I think it’s possible, here are four reasons why it’s not a sure ‘yes’ answer.
First, an Achilles injury inevitably affects a player’s speed and explosiveness. If that’s Bryant’s fate, then he won’t be the deep-threat he was once–at least not consistently. Second, Bryant is 31-years-old now–not young by any NFL standard. Third, Bryant has been out of the game for two seasons. And, finally, Bryant has been injury-prone. Over eight seasons with the Cowboys, Bryant managed to play all 16 games only four times.
The good news is that the Ravens don’t need Bryant to be a game-changing talent. QB Lamar Jackson is a big reason. Jackson is a dual-threat player, as much a threat on the ground as he is in the air. That said, this team can use another wideout to stretch the defense. So what are the odds of Bryant doing just that?
The Ravens’ current WR depth chart includes Marquise Brown, Willie Snead IV, and Myles Boykin. None of them has put up big numbers so far, but that outcome is a result of the team’s offensive scheme and a function of Jackson’s preference. And Jackson’s go-to Red Zone receiver isn’t any of those three. It’s TE Mark Andrews. That means four receivers are in the mix currently in Charm City.
So what does Bryant bring the Ravens? He’d be an excellent safety option and a good Red-Zone target, complimenting Andrews. Playing on the perimeter, Bryant could also stretch the defense to open up rushing lanes. And there’s something else–something that’s in Bryant’s favor at this stage in his career. The Ravens don’t need him to be a deep-threat target. They have Brown for that.
But all of what I’ve just written is all ‘if.” We won’t know if Bryant will get playing time and, if he does, how things will turn out. That said, the Ravens signed him for a purpose. My take is that I think we’ll see Bryant on the field making notable contributions. The Ravens need a player of his talent at WR as they make their Super Bowl run.
