CONFIRMED: Dallas Cowboys release East Texas native Dez Bryant

Just a simple search on Twitter for “Dez Bryant Vikings” brings up a TON of folks trying to persuade the wide receiver to come to Minnesota.

Injuries have impacted the eight-year veteran, along with some shoddy quarterback play and an offense that relies more on its running game, but Bryant’s skills have rapidly declined.

Previous quotes from some Cowboys decision-makers indicate Bryant’s sideline and locker room antics, referred to as merely “passion” in happier times, were factors in the decision, which will save the Cowboys $8 million in cap space this season.

Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones talked about how Bryant wasn’t living up to expectations.

Bryant should have plenty of suitors on the open market, despite his slippage in production last season. His outbursts on the sidelines have also been an issue in Dallas whether the team wanted to admit it or not. It was his third straight season of declining production after he signed a five-year, $70 million contract back in 2015. Outside of that he’s gone from a star to a fairly generic wide receiver. Since 2015, he has made $300,000 per reception, the highest per-catch rate in the National Football League, while catching only 49.7 percent of his passes, the worst mark of any National Football League receiver with a minimum of 200 targets. This affected every wide receiver on the roster and made it harder for the complimentary guys to make plays.

Jones claimed his bond with Bryant was among the closest he has had with any player in three decades.

The Minnesota Vikings have already made some big moves in free agency.

Bryant spent eight seasons in Dallas, but his productivity the past few seasons had dropped and ultimately led to the team releasing him. After an offseason where Sammy Watkins and Paul Richardson raked in money with huge contracts, Bryant may be able to demand a significant sum, which would essentially push the Patriots away from the negotiating table. But if you have an opportunity to add a player of Bryant’s caliber to that mix, at the right price, you do it.