Jerry Jones denies collusion assertions after re-signing Dez Bryant:

As we touched on yesterday, the NFLPA was preparing to move ahead with collusion charges if Dallas Cowboys’ receiver Dez Bryant or Denver Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas didn’t get new deals by yesterday’s 4PM EST deadline to get a long term done.

The concern for the NFLPA is that the communication between the Cowboys and Broncos could have been the teams working together to artificially set the market for their star receivers.  While there’s no chance the NFLPA moves ahead with charges against the teams for collusion after Bryant and Thomas both signed new deals before the deadline, it is extremely interesting that the two star wide-outs signed almost identical $70 million deals a day ago.

Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones knows that some believe his son, Cowboys COO Stephen Jones and Broncos GM John Elway may have had inappropriate talks about the negotiations, but attempted to throw water on any remaining controversy.

“We did not, under any type of interpretation, we did not in any way have collusion,” Jones said. “I didn’t know until just a second ago watching on television the player that Denver had signed. And so there was none between the Cowboys and Denver at all.”

Whether charges had been filed or not, it would have been incredibly difficult to prove collusion between the two clubs.

When it comes to getting the deal done with Bryant, it was imperative for a Cowboys team that is already without its other most productive weapon from a year ago, DeMarco Murray.

Also, while there were reports yesterday that the Cowboys just weren’t buying Bryant’s threats of sitting out regular season games, it sounds as if Jones was quite concerned that Bryant would hold true to his word.

“I take everything Dez says as genuine,” Jones said of Bryant’s threats to hold out into the regular season. “I read the same things you write or read, I read that, but I also have many more times that I’m talking and communicating and I’m just careful and I know he is. We are not careless with our words with each other.”

Regardless of how we got here, the important thing is they have Bryant back in the fold. On the football field, his production and energy cannot be questioned. Bryant has recorded at least 63 receptions in every seasons since recording 45 in his rookie campaign.

Over the past three seasons as Bryant has emerged as one of the league’s offensive superstars, he has had at least 1,200 yards receiving and has amassed 41 touchdowns.

Justin Houston gets deal that blows J.J. Watt’s out of the water:

I know what you’re thinking. How does this happen? How does any defensive player, let alone another pass-rushing, outside linebacker get a better deal that J.J. Watt? How does anyone at that position get over 20 million dollars more than Watt? It just doesn’t seem fathomable to some people.

Relax, it’s the system. This is the same kind of hysteria that surrounded Joe Flacco when he became the richest quarterback in the game when signing his new deal after leading the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl.

It’s quite simple, really. Once you cross the threshold of being one of those guys a franchise can’t let get away, you’re in position to be that guy. Every year there’s a player who becomes the highest paid player at his position that is arguably not the best player at said position.

Again, it’s just the system. The next guy up gets the biggest deal at his position because of inflation. In the end, it’s a good thing for the players, and that’s why you never hear players opining over why the next guy didn’t deserve a big deal. They know he’s setting up the next guy, who will set up the next guy. It’s just the system.

When it comes to recent players becoming the highest paid player at their position, you might be able to argue that Justin Houston deserves that distinction as much as many of the players who have been in that position in recent years.

Houston fell just half a sack short of Michael Strahan’s record of 22.5 sacks last season, and you can argue he was the best defensive human being in the game last season considering that J.J. Watt is an animal.

So while it may be a little surprising that Houston got over $20 million more in guarantees than Watt did in his new deal, it’s really nothing to be alarmed about. We all get it that Houston isn’t quite the player that Watt is, but he was the next guy up, it’s how the system works, and Kansas City is very happy to have their sack leader back, and happy.

Demaryius Thomas gets his deal with Denver:

There are very few wide receivers in football that compare physically to Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant, but Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas is certainly a guy who does. So, while the similarities in their new deals may seem a little fishy, it’s probably fair that the two players got such comparable deals.

Whether it’s the star on the helmet or Bryant’s fiery passion often on display both on the field and on the sidelines, Bryant seems to be more readily recognizable and discussed more often as one of the league’s best receivers, but Thomas’ numbers are right there.

Over the past three seasons as the pair has begun to move into the league’s elite class of receiver, Thomas actually has more receptions, for more yards, with only six fewer touchdowns than Bryant.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the two receivers moving into their sixth NFL seasons is the importance of Thomas’ deal getting done before training camp.

The Denver Broncos have a new head coach, and more importantly a new offense for Thomas to get comfortable in. The championship window for the Broncos with Peyton Manning is closing quickly, and there’s no chance the Broncos are Super Bowl contenders without Thomas at his very best.

Getting the deal done before yesterday’s 4PM EST deadline allows the Broncos to get him into camp on time and get him comfortable with the new offense.