Cowboys 'working hard' on Dez Bryant contract

The Dallas Cowboys secured the services of one of their key offensive pieces Wednesday by locking up left tackle Tyron Smith for the next decade. Now the full attention of the Cowboys' front office turns to wide receiver Dez Bryant, whose contract expires at season's end.

Even while negotiating with Smith, the Cowboys were engaged in talks with Bryant and could potentially have finished the wideout's deal first. That didn't happen, but Dallas expects to have Bryant signed to a new deal long-term deal in the not too distant future.

"It wouldn't have surprised me if Dez would have gotten done first," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said, via ESPN. "We're working hard to do something with Dez. We're totally committed to make Dez a Cowboy for life as well.

"Certainly in our plans from Day 1 when we started figuring out our cap this year was to figure out a way to get Dez and Tyron extended."

While Jones sounded confident an agreement would be reached, he declined to put any kind of a timetable on the proceedings.

"I don't guess on when things get done. I'm positive about it, but I don't guess when things might get done."