INDIANAPOLIS -- Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said the club is leaning toward using the franchise tag on wide receiver Dez Bryant, but is not in a hurry to do so.
The window to use the tag opened on Monday and a decision needs to be made by March 2.
Despite ongoing talks with Dez Bryant and his Roc Nation reps, Cowboys executive Stephen Jones says the team is leaning toward franchising the receiver.
"Right now we're probably leaning that way," Jones said of using it on Bryant, who is an unrestricted free agent. "But that doesn't mean it won't change."
Because the NFL has not set the 2015 salary cap, the Cowboys do not know how much the tag will be or how much room they will have to spend. In all likelihood, the tag will be somewhere around $13 million for wide receivers.
"We'll probably wait 'til the midnight hour to make that decision," Jones said in a break between Competition Committee meetings at the NFL scouting combine.
Jones said the Cowboys have set up talks during the week with the agents for a number of their free agents-to-be, but nothing concrete has been set up with Kim Mialie of Roc Nation and Tom Condon of CAA, who represent Bryant.
Bryant changed agents in the middle of last season. Jones said the Cowboys had "extensive" talks with Bryant's former agent, Eugene Parker, but would not say they were ever close to an agreement on a multiyear contract. Jones said the team has had a "visit or two," with Condon, "but I wouldn't say it was anything that [was] very detailed."
During the season Bryant said he would be "highly disappointed" if the Cowboys used the franchise tag on him.
Jones said the team is not worried about Bryant's reaction if they were to designate him the franchise player.
"I think Dez will be a pro and he'll play," Jones said.
The Cowboys last used the tag on defensive end/outside linebacker Anthony Spencer in 2013. It was the second straight year the Cowboys tagged Spencer, and he made $19.4 million over the two years.
"Those things cut both ways," Jones said. "The franchise tags pay the guys a lot of money. That's why I don't think you see many of them sitting out because it's hard to pass up guaranteed money, the type of money that these guys get when they sign their franchise tag. Of course, the second they sign it, it's guaranteed, so it's not terrible for these guys to play under the franchise."
Players, however, want long-term deals with bigger guaranteed amounts than just a one-year offer. Bryant caught 88 passes for 1,320 yards and set a team record with 16 touchdown catches in 2014.
If the Cowboys tag Bryant, they would have until July 15 to sign him to a long-term deal. If an agreement is not reached, then he would have to play the season on the tag.
"Leave all options open," Jones said.
The window to use the tag opened on Monday and a decision needs to be made by March 2.
Despite ongoing talks with Dez Bryant and his Roc Nation reps, Cowboys executive Stephen Jones says the team is leaning toward franchising the receiver.
"Right now we're probably leaning that way," Jones said of using it on Bryant, who is an unrestricted free agent. "But that doesn't mean it won't change."
Because the NFL has not set the 2015 salary cap, the Cowboys do not know how much the tag will be or how much room they will have to spend. In all likelihood, the tag will be somewhere around $13 million for wide receivers.
"We'll probably wait 'til the midnight hour to make that decision," Jones said in a break between Competition Committee meetings at the NFL scouting combine.
Jones said the Cowboys have set up talks during the week with the agents for a number of their free agents-to-be, but nothing concrete has been set up with Kim Mialie of Roc Nation and Tom Condon of CAA, who represent Bryant.
Bryant changed agents in the middle of last season. Jones said the Cowboys had "extensive" talks with Bryant's former agent, Eugene Parker, but would not say they were ever close to an agreement on a multiyear contract. Jones said the team has had a "visit or two," with Condon, "but I wouldn't say it was anything that [was] very detailed."
During the season Bryant said he would be "highly disappointed" if the Cowboys used the franchise tag on him.
Jones said the team is not worried about Bryant's reaction if they were to designate him the franchise player.
"I think Dez will be a pro and he'll play," Jones said.
The Cowboys last used the tag on defensive end/outside linebacker Anthony Spencer in 2013. It was the second straight year the Cowboys tagged Spencer, and he made $19.4 million over the two years.
"Those things cut both ways," Jones said. "The franchise tags pay the guys a lot of money. That's why I don't think you see many of them sitting out because it's hard to pass up guaranteed money, the type of money that these guys get when they sign their franchise tag. Of course, the second they sign it, it's guaranteed, so it's not terrible for these guys to play under the franchise."
Players, however, want long-term deals with bigger guaranteed amounts than just a one-year offer. Bryant caught 88 passes for 1,320 yards and set a team record with 16 touchdown catches in 2014.
If the Cowboys tag Bryant, they would have until July 15 to sign him to a long-term deal. If an agreement is not reached, then he would have to play the season on the tag.
"Leave all options open," Jones said.
