Two days after signing with the New Orleans Saints, three-time Pro Bowl and first-team All Pro wide receiver, Dez Bryant suffered a torn Achilles in his first day of practice, ending his 2018-19 season.
Bryant, whom was released from the Dallas Cowboys during the off-season, had been embroiled in a long and bitter public spat with owner Jerry Jones over how it was handled. Bryant would be linked with Baltimore, Houston, Philadelphia, New York, Washington and Cleveland before agreeing to a one-year $8 million deal with New Orleans.
Set to have been perhaps the missing piece for a Super Bowl contender loaded with the likes of Canton-bound QB Drew Brees, RB’s Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara, TE Benjamin Watson and WR’s Michael Thomas and rookie Tre’Quan Smith, the addition of Bryant would have put the Saints over the top in the NFC.
Coming off of a 45-35 shootout win over Jared Goff and the visiting Los Angeles Rams, many pegged New Orleans as one of the favorites to come out of the NFC.
Whether or not Bryant would have been the difference maker, we will never know, but his addition would have certainly added to their already prolific offense and elevated them to being perhaps the team to beat.