Cowboys' Dez Bryant on holdout: 'How am I selfish?'

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant is staying away from his team's mandatory minicamp as he seeks a long-term contract extension. It's standard practice for a player who received his team's franchise tag.

Nonetheless, some fans have criticized Bryant for being selfish, and not wanting to accept the one-year, $12.82-million franchise tag offer on the table because he'll risk suffering an injury and damaging his long-term earning potential.

Bryant has a message for those fans:

Bryant has proven on the field that he's a marquee wide receiver, and he's well within his rights to exercise his leverage and demand to be paid the highest amount possible. Frankly, any other perspective on the matter is foolish.

Even the Cowboys seem to know this is all part of the process. They're taking a hard-line stance in an attempt to drive Bryant's asking price down, which is well within their rights.

The most likely outcome is the two parties reaching a long-term deal that makes Bryant a very rich man ahead of July's deadline.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters negotiations are underway and he expects Bryant to be on the field for the Cowboys when they kick off the season in September. It will be a significant upset if Jones is proven wrong.