Fitzgerald, who turns 32 in late August, hasn't had a 1,000-yard receiving season since 2011. He accepted a pay cut in February with a renegotiated, fully guaranteed two-year, $22 million contract to remain rs gold with the Arizona Cardinals. The Kansas City Chiefs signed Maclin to a five-year, $55 million deal with $22.5 million fully guaranteed during free agency.

Cowboys Chief Operating Officer/Executive Vice President/Director of Player Personnel Stephen Jones recently said that the team intends to make a push in signing Bryant before the deadline, but he said Wednesday that there's a 'wide gap' between the two sides. He has also indicated that the team is comfortable franchising Bryant again in 2016 and revisiting the issue next offseason if necessary.

It's a bit curious that the Cowboys have such a casual attitude in signing a player considered to be an integral part of their long range plans. A high ranking AFC team executive I spoke to wondered whether the Cowboys were operating in bad faith with Bryant. The approach makes more sense if the Cowboys were informed during their meeting with Bryant's agents at the NFL combine in February that he deserves to be the NFL's highest-paid wide receiver.

Bryant wanting to become the league's highest-paid pass catcher wouldn't be outlandish, since he can make a legitimate case that he is the best wide receiver in the game. He has accomplished something that's never been done in Cowboys history by posting three straight seasons (2012-2014) with at least 85 receptions, 1,200 receiving yards and 12 touchdown receptions. Bryant's 41 touchdown receptions since 2012 are the most in the NFL during this three-year span.

Topping the seven-year, $113.45 million extension Calvin Johnson received from the Detroit Lions www.rsfarmer.com in 2012 is unrealistic. $53.25 million of Johnson's extension was fully guaranteed at signing if the $4.5 million roster bonus from his rookie contract, which was payable on the same day the new deal was executed, is considered as a part of the guaranteed money.