Cowboys wide receiver Antonio Bryant and head coach Bill Parcells met Monday morning at Valley Ranch for the first time since the blow up last month on the practice field.
Bryant threw his jersey at Parcells after an altercation with fellow receiver Keyshawn Johnson and receivers coach Todd Haley. As Bryant removed his jersey and began walking off, Parcells picked it up and tossed it back to Bryant. The three-year receiver then threw it back at Parcells and was immediately escorted from the field.
Bryant resumed working out in Dallas a few weeks ago but has yet to return to the team's facility.
The Cowboys decided to let cooler heads prevail instead of making a decision during the heat of the moment. With the addition of Johnson and the return of Terry Glenn, Bryant could be part of a special receiving corps that also includes tight end James Witten.
A couple of teams reportedly called about trading for Bryant, but the Cowboys want a significant draft pick in return.
A talented receiver from Pittsburgh, Bryant's stock fell in the draft because he was said to be hot-headed and stubborn. While in Dallas, Bryant has shown flashes of what he could become but has not been consistent. He still does not run crisp routes and drops more passes than he should.
In other team news, backup tight end James Whalen
and defensive tackle Willie Blade have been waived.
Whalen was injured most of last season and could not break into the starting position past rookie James Witten.
A fifth-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2000, Whalen was released and signed on with Dallas.
In his four seasons with Dallas, Whalen caught 17 passes for 152 yards - all during the 2002 season.
Blade was one of last year's biggest surprises. A
third-round draft pick in 2001, Blade was released in 2002 after battling
weight problems. The Texans picked him up and then released him
later in the season.
New head coach Bill Parcells brought Blade back in 2003
with
the understanding that his work ethic would need to improve.
But Blade apparently has reverted back to his prior
form and according to published reports, is out of shape with
training camp starting in 4 days.
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