Getty Ventell Bryant
Joining linebacker Sean Lee and right tackle La’el Collins on injured reserve, the Dallas Cowboys announced Monday, is wide receiver Ventell Bryant.
Bryant reportedly sustained a mild PCL strain during the team’s Blue and White scrimmage at AT&T Stadium. He was unable to practice thereafter but managed to survive final cuts as Dallas formed its 53-man roster for the 2020 regular season.
Like Lee (sports hernia) and Collins (hip), Bryant will miss the Cowboys’ first three games — at Los Angeles Rams, vs. Atlanta, at Seattle — before being eligible to return in Week 4 against the Browns.
A rookie in 2019, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound pass-catcher entered the pros with the Cincinnati Bengals, signing as an undrafted free agent out of Temple, where he snagged 173 balls for 2,444 yards and 10 touchdowns across 48 games. He was released last September and snatched by the Cowboys, who signed him to the practice squad on Sept. 2.
Bryant was promoted to the active roster on Oct. 2. He made 12 appearances for Dallas, registering just one reception for 15 yards amid the team’s Week 13 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He was a bigger contributor on special teams, compiling 201 snaps compared to a paltry 23 offensive reps. The 24-year-old was arrested in March on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Once healthy, Bryant will round out a log-jammed WR corps that boasts Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb as the Big Three. Their direct backups are Cedrick Wilson and Noah Brown, both of whom enjoyed terrific training camps. The Cowboys also added to the position Sunday, claiming Malik Turner off waivers from the Packers.
Unless the Cowboys carry seven receivers for the duration, Bryant and Turner likely are competing for one roster slot. And considering the club signed WRs Aaron Parker and Jon’Vea Johnson to the practice squad, the loser of the battle likely gets a pink slip.
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