The Dallas Cowboys are one of the favorites in bookmaker odds to win the Super Bowl and one of the reasons they are expected to be improved is their first round draft pick, Dez Bryant. The Cowboys signed Bryant to a five-year, $11.8 million dollar deal. Dallas opens up the preseason on Sunday, August 8th in the Hall of Fame Game where they are favored in offshore betting odds against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Bookmaker odds will favor the Cowboys a lot in 2010. Dallas returns a lot of talent, especially on offense. The addition of Bryant is expected to make the Cowboys even more explosive on offense. The Cowboys took Bryant with the 24th overall pick in the NFL draft and they are paying him a lot of money. Much of that money is guaranteed so the Cowboys are expecting a lot this season. Bryant is the first pick in the first round to come to contract terms. He came to terms even before overall number one pick Sam Bradford signed with St. Louis.
The Cowboys were somewhat concerned that they wouldn’t be able to sign Bryant before training camp began. His agent has been notorious for getting players signed late. Last year one of his clients, Michael Crabtree didn’t sign with San Francisco until October.
Dallas owner Jerry Jones is expecting so much out of Bryant that he gave him jersey No. 88 which was worn by Hall of Famer Michael Irvin and long-time Cowboy Drew Pearson. Bryant had 147 catches for 2,425 yards and 29 touchdowns at Oklahoma State.
Normally the preseason doesn’t get much attention but with the Cowboys that should not be the case. Bryant will be a player that is worth watching. He should make his debut this weekend when the Cowboys face the Bengals in the Hall of Fame Game. That can be seen on Sunday on NBC television. The Cowboys won’t have long to wait for their second preseason game as it occurs just four days later on August 12th as they host the Oakland Raiders in a game they will be favored to win in offshore betting. Since the Cowboys are in the Hall of Fame Game they will play five preseason games this year compared to the normal four.