Dez Bryant is out in Dallas, and he isn't returning.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones assured as much in speaking with reporters Tuesday.
"We need to move on knowing that we don't have Dez," Jones said.
They'll begin doing so with this week's draft, which the Cowboys are expected to enter with a priority placed on finding a receiver. It's also not easy to replace a target with the stature and skill Bryant displayed when at his best. Jones knows that and sounds like he's just fine with it.
"I think we recognize that we've got a hole to fill with Dez," Jones said. "We, actually, in general know right now that and have known that we probably won't have what we would call a pure X receiver to take the place of Dez."
That reality didn't discourage Dallas from cutting ties with Bryant and saving more than $8 million in cap space. How it affects the Cowboys' next move will be seen this weekend.
As for Bryant, his next chapter remains a mystery. His most ardent supporters from his time in Dallas won't see their dreams of a cheaper reunion realized, at least not this year, but he still offers value to the right team. The second half of that potential pairing likely won't be determined until after the draft, though.
