ByRainer Sabin / Reporter
rsabin@dallasnews.com | Bio
5:34 PM on Mon., Aug. 1, 2011 | Permalink
The confidence came with experience, Dez Bryant said. These days, the second-year wide receiver doesn't have to think about the play that was called.
"I just get up on the line and go," Bryant said. "I feel like I know way more than I did last year."
Back then, there were murmurs of concern throughout Valley Ranch regarding Bryant inability to grasp certain elements of the Cowboys' playbook. Even as he made a considerable impact -- catching 45 passes for 561 yards and six touchdowns -- there were times when Bryant seemed lost during his first year in the NFL.
But as time went on, Miles Austin and quarterback Tony Romo took it upon themselves to helped re-orient Bryant. The three stars worked together this offseason at the player-run practices that were conducted in Southlake this past May. Bryant, whose rookie campaign ended prematurely when he fractured his right fibula Dec. 5, said they "made sure everything was right."
And according to Bryant, it is. Instead of thinking through his routes as he ran them, Bryant said he is now able to act on instinct while working within the parameters of the given play. It shows. Bryant has been impressive in training camp -- making some acrobatic catches and finding openings in congested areas of the field.
"He's coming a long way," Romo said. "Dez has had a good camp."
Bryant said his strong performance is due, in part, to the fact that he feels obligated to perform in his expanded role. With Roy Williams no longer on the team, Bryant is expected to be thrust in the starting lineup.
"I had to make sure that I had everything down pat," he said. "I don't want to let nobody down. I want to make sure by time preseason comes I know what to do."
rsabin@dallasnews.com | Bio
5:34 PM on Mon., Aug. 1, 2011 | Permalink
The confidence came with experience, Dez Bryant said. These days, the second-year wide receiver doesn't have to think about the play that was called.
"I just get up on the line and go," Bryant said. "I feel like I know way more than I did last year."
Back then, there were murmurs of concern throughout Valley Ranch regarding Bryant inability to grasp certain elements of the Cowboys' playbook. Even as he made a considerable impact -- catching 45 passes for 561 yards and six touchdowns -- there were times when Bryant seemed lost during his first year in the NFL.
But as time went on, Miles Austin and quarterback Tony Romo took it upon themselves to helped re-orient Bryant. The three stars worked together this offseason at the player-run practices that were conducted in Southlake this past May. Bryant, whose rookie campaign ended prematurely when he fractured his right fibula Dec. 5, said they "made sure everything was right."
And according to Bryant, it is. Instead of thinking through his routes as he ran them, Bryant said he is now able to act on instinct while working within the parameters of the given play. It shows. Bryant has been impressive in training camp -- making some acrobatic catches and finding openings in congested areas of the field.
"He's coming a long way," Romo said. "Dez has had a good camp."
Bryant said his strong performance is due, in part, to the fact that he feels obligated to perform in his expanded role. With Roy Williams no longer on the team, Bryant is expected to be thrust in the starting lineup.
"I had to make sure that I had everything down pat," he said. "I don't want to let nobody down. I want to make sure by time preseason comes I know what to do."
