The Cowboys declined comment on the issue.
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So by chatting, if the Broncos and Cowboys are guilty of it, they could have hashed out some ballpark numbers in an effort to avoid one team going beyond what the other was comfortable paying its star wideout.
And the NFL Players Association is investigating whether that happened: Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the NFLPA believes the Broncos and Cowboys had discussions about Bryant’s and Thomas’s contracts, in violation of the collective bargaining agreement.
The two are roughly equivalent players, so it would make sense if the Broncos and Cowboys wanted to get together to discuss their situations.
After reviewing their information, the NFLPA will determine whether to file a claim against the teams.
If there’s proof of collusion, Bryant and Thomas could sue for damages.
Star wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Dez Bryant have until Wednesday to sign long-term deals with their teams before franchise tags are pinned to both. If long-term deals are not reached before then, both players will play on one-year franchise tags worth $12,823,000.
Both players entered the league via the first-round of the 2010 NFL Draft, Thomas at No. 22 and Bryant No. 24.
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While protracted contract negotiations are not in any way abnormal for the NFL, collusion is a rarely uttered word in an NFL world where secrecy is king and an old-boy’s network of football men run almost all 32 front offices.
