Brees, Saints welcome possible X-factor Bryant to team
Quarterback Drew Brees was among the players eager to welcome Dez Bryant to the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday after the wide receiver inked a deal with the team.
"Dez has been a really good player in this league for a long time and there's certainly a skill set he has that is going to be beneficial," Brees told Herbie Teope of NFL.com. "I look forward to working with him. I look forward to building a rapport with him. I look forward to getting him involved in this offense and just become a complement to all the guys that we already have."
Bryant, a three-time Pro Bowler with the Dallas Cowboys, signed a one-year contract with the Saints following a workout on Tuesday. He'll join a New Orleans club sitting atop the NFC South that's thin at receiver beyond Michael Thomas.
It's uncertain whether Bryant will be ready to make his Saints debut on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. Regardless, Brees is prepared for Bryant's impact to come later rather than sooner.
"It's not like you just hand him a playbook and expect him to learn it overnight," Brees said. "It's one of those things that's a process. I think for any new guy coming in, especially a skill player, it's new verbiage.
"I don't know how much carryover there will be from what he had in Dallas - it's probably not a lot - so that's a process. You bring him along and you want to put him in position to succeed, right? Take the stuff that he's really good at, and then integrate him in the offense accordingly. We'll have a plan for that as we go along."
Bryant, 30, posted 838 receiving yards with six touchdowns for the Cowboys in 2017.
Here's a sample of what other Saints players said about his addition:
Sheldon Rankins, DT
"If he can come in and help this team and give our offense another dimension, I'm throwing up the X right along with him. Listen, Dez Bryant has been a hell of a player in this league for a long time. I know he can still contribute to a team and I'm glad it's going to be us."
Zach Line, FB
"He just makes our offense that much more dynamic and obviously the question is who are you going to cover on our team now. Is it (Alvin Kamara)? Is it Mark (Ingram)? Is it Mike (Thomas)? Is it Dez? Is it Tre'Quan (Smith)? He's just another weapon in our system and we find ways to use everybody, and you can even include Taysom (Hill) in that mix."
A.J. Klein, LB
"We know that Dez is a competitor and he's been a great wide receiver in this league for a long time. Anytime you can add that type of talent to your team is very important."