Dez Bryant ready to return to being a top wide receiver again

Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant has high expectations to return to his All-Pro form this season. He had a stretch of posting three straights seasons of at least 1,200 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns from 2012-14, but hasn’t reach the 1,000-yard mark the past two seasons.

Bryant has battled various injuries the past two seasons. He broke his foot and sustained a knee injury that limited him to nine games in 2015. Last year, he had a tibial plateau fracture that kept him out of three games. Bryant finished with 50 catches for 796 yards and eight touchdowns.

But Bryant, who turns 29 in November, still views himself as a top-tiered receiver even though Las Vegas has pegged him with the eighth-best odds to lead the league in receiving yards this season.

“We’re just going to see what happens. Like I said, I feel good,” Bryant said. “Also what a lot of these people have to understand, hey, man, we’re not a pass friendly offense. That’s no disrespect. I respect what we do around here and I accepted that. But when that ball comes my way, I’m going to do what I’ve got to do.

“I sit here and say, I don’t think nobody has been more productive with the amount of targets that I get. I don’t get as many and I’m not complaining. At the same time, if I was getting that many passes, I’d be doing that much damage too as well.”

Bryant believes the Cowboys offense can become even more explosive this season with Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott entering their second seasons. Bryant and Prescott should have a stronger connection, too, with a year under their belt.

“I think we’re just picking up where we left off,” Bryant said. “Add new things and try to be more explosive. Be more explosive than we were last year.”

Asked about his motivation, Bryant said: “Motivated? I’m always motivated. I’m excited. You see that Green Bay game last year we lost? [Shoot], it’s on. Straight up.”

Bryant also talked about his love for the organization even though he was tardy for physicals last Friday. Bryant said he and the organization have “handled it.”

“Man, this organization knows what’s up with me,” Bryant said. “They know I love this football team. Me, personally, I feel like nobody reps the star as hard as me. That’s not a shot at anybody. That’s just how I feel. I love the star, always loved it. I love the fans and I put my all out there.”

This story was originally published July 25, 2017 at 4:39 PM with the headline "Dez Bryant ready to return to being a top wide receiver again."