Dez to Dallas on contract: ‘Don’t test my loyalty’

SCHUYLER DIXON

AP Sports Writer

IRVING, Texas — Dez Bryant smiled through a “no comment,” yet the questions kept coming about a new contract with the Dallas Cowboys.

Before long, the star receiver said a deal wasn’t about money, which prompted someone to ask what it was about.

“It’s all about respect,” said Bryant, who was sitting at his locker when reporters showed up in a mostly empty room during the Cowboys’ bye week Wednesday. “I am a very loyal person, but just don’t test my loyalty.”

It’s probably too early to call that a warning shot for owner Jerry Jones. But Bryant did recently replace agent Eugene Parker with a combination of Jay Z’s Roc Nation management company and agent Tom Condon.

After saying before the season that he didn’t want negotiations to continue once the games began, Bryant changed course. He said he was willing for talks to resume as he wraps up a rookie deal worth $11.8 million over five years.

Meanwhile, Jones faced questions whether he was hesitant to give Bryant an expensive long-term contract because of issues away from the field that plagued his first two years in the league.

None of the above bothered Bryant in London against Jacksonville, when he set a franchise record for yards receiving in a quarter with 158 with two touchdowns in the second period of Dallas’ 31-17 win. The Cowboys’ next game is at the New York Giants on Nov. 23.

“People are going to say a lot of different things about you and if you get caught up in what’s going on outside this building and that takes away from what your preparation is, you’re probably not going to be your best,” coach Jason Garrett said. “And I think Dez understands that.”

Jones has said for months he wants a long-term deal with Bryant, and he says that answers the question about off-the-field concerns.

“He represents the star. We want him to be proud of that,” Jones said. “I’m real impressed with how he’s evolved over the last several years, or we wouldn’t be in serious contract negotiations with him.”

Executive vice president Stephen Jones said the Cowboys haven’t had discussions with Bryant’s new management team. Bryant, who has turned down several offers, has a base salary of $1.8 million this season.

Detroit’s Calvin Johnson, the league’s highest-paid receiver, has a $113 million contract with $49 million guaranteed. Bryant says the guaranteed money is an important factor for him.

“I didn’t make it a big deal my rookie year, my first year about getting to camp,” Bryant said. “I remember when people thought I was going to hold out and I didn’t. I just wanted to get in and show that I’m worthy of being in the NFL and I can be a dominant player.”

Bryant also made it clear early in his career that he appreciated Jerry Jones sticking with him through lawsuits over unpaid jewelry bills, a saggy pants episode with police at an upscale Dallas mall, and a domestic violence complaint involving his mother.

But what has long been viewed as a father-son relationship is evolving into a business partnership.

“Not saying that they’re not for me or anybody is for me, but I’m used to a family atmosphere,” said Bryant, closing in on his third straight 1,000-yard season with at least 10 touchdowns. “But we got money involved, so they got to make sure that they’re making the right investment. And I got to make sure that I’m worthy of everything.”

The Cowboys had severe salary cap issues last offseason and also have NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray in the final year of his contract. While they could use the franchise tag on a player to put off a decision on a longer contract, at some point Dallas will have to pay to keep both along with quarterback Tony Romo.

“At the end of the day, I want to win,” Bryant said. “But at the same time, I have a family and that’s what is important. I feel like, hey, I put the work in, I got to give myself some kind of credit.”

Wilson off with Hawk pass game

RENTON, Wash. — Russell Wilson is doing plenty to help Seattle during its three-game win streak.

Even when the Seahawks’ offensive priority has been focused on running the football.

That was evident last week when he ran for 107 yards as part of Seattle’s franchise record day running the ball in its 38-17 win over the New York Giants.

But through the air, Wilson has been far from his best of late. And with the Seahawks entering their most difficult stretch of the schedule, it’s a concern whether Wilson can rediscover his passing rhythm.

“I think my accuracy has been a little bit off for whatever reason and I keep believing in myself. I’m not going to doubt myself,” Wilson said.

“I’ve played a lot of great football at times and I just believe every time I get the ball in my hands something great is going to happen and that is never going to change. My confidence never wavers.

“Sometimes you go through a downward slump but as long as you find ways to win, that’s all I care about is finding ways to help our football team win and then once I get back in my groove, which hopefully will happen this week, I think it will be hard to stop us.”

In each of his past three games, and in four of the past five, Wilson has failed to have a passer rating higher than 77.5.

While he’ll never put up huge passing stats because of the style of Seattle’s offense, Wilson has thrown for more than 250 yards only twice all season.

“I think it’s important to look at the pass game as a whole. All of it works together,” Seattle offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said. “There are things we can do protection-wise to keep him on the spot. There’s things we can do better running routes for him to be at the right place at the right time and frankly there are plays that he has to make.

“There are throws that he needs to make and I’m sure there are some in the past that he would like to have back. It’s a work in progress each and every week we try and go out there and improve.”

Even with his struggles of late, Seattle’s three straight wins have included moments where Wilson has proved to be the difference.

In Carolina, he led Seattle on an 85-yard drive in the final minutes, capping it with a pinpoint pass to Luke Willson for a 23-yard touchdown and another fourth-quarter comeback.

Against Oakland, Wilson led Seattle on two key first-half touchdown drives as the Seahawks built a 24-3 lead at the break.

And last week against the Giants, Wilson took advantage of New York’s inability to keep contain on the perimeter in the run game.

That’s been the good side of Wilson’s game lately. But the mistakes have become more profound and more obvious.

“I think some of the times it’s been footwork and sometimes maybe rushing a little too fast,” Wilson said. “I think one of my strengths is being poised at certain times and I think I have to go back to that, always being calm as possible and being as smooth as possible and making those throws and hitting it when it’s there.”

Against Oakland, Wilson’s accuracy was significantly off. It was the first time this season and fourth time in the past two regular seasons that Wilson completed less than 50 percent of his passes.

A number of times he was inaccurate throwing to open receivers and at least two throws could have been intercepted.

And against the Giants, there was an element of carelessness. Usually cautious with his passes, Wilson threw two interceptions for the first time in more than a calendar year.

But coach Pete Carroll doesn’t sound concerned, especially with Seattle’s recommitment to the run.

“We have been running the football with more intent and so that which with we’ve been getting done is good enough to get wins,” Carroll said. “We have areas that we can improve, throwing and catching we can always get better. I really think the good thing is that we have won three games and we can do better.”