Dez Bryant Contract 2018 Overview and Structure
Dez Bryant signed a new contract with the Dallas Cowboys in 2018, converting his prior deal into a restructured agreement that reflected his market value as a veteran wide receiver. The contract was finalized on April 13, 2018, and included a new base salary, signing bonus, and restructured roster bonus designed to manage salary cap space while retaining the team's franchise cornerstone player via ESPN.
The deal was structured as a two-year contract with a player option for a third year, giving the Cowboys flexibility while providing Bryant with an immediate pay raise. The base salary for the first year of the new contract was set at $13 million, with the full amount guaranteed at signing, and the total guaranteed money across the full term exceeded $30 million via OverTheCap.
Salary Cap Impact and Financial Breakdown
The cap hit for Dez Bryant under the 2018 contract was approximately $15.8 million in the first year, with a prorated signing bonus and restructured roster bonus contributing to the total cash outlay. The Cowboys absorbed the cap charge while clearing space from the previous deal's dead money, making the restructuring a key part of their 2018 salary management plan via Spotrac.
In the second year of the contract, the cap number was projected to rise to around $18 million, reflecting the acceleration of bonuses and base salary. The player option for a third year included a base salary of $20 million, which would have further increased the cap burden if exercised, but the Cowboys ultimately released Bryant before that option became fully guaranteed via Sports Business Journal.
Contract Outcome and Career Context
Despite the new deal, Dez Bryant was released by the Cowboys on April 13, 2018, just hours after the contract was finalized, ending his tenure with the team that drafted him in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. The release cleared significant cap space for Dallas and marked the close of a highly productive but contentious chapter in Bryant's career via NFL.com.
Bryant subsequently signed with the New Orleans Saints in May 2018, where he played in 12 games before undergoing season-ending foot surgery. The 2018 contract restructuring and immediate release became a widely cited case study in NFL contract management, illustrating how teams use restructured deals to balance player retention with cap flexibility via Forbes.