Dallas Cowboys' wide receiver Dez Bryant has not attended the team's three-day mandatory minicamp which started on Tuesday, according to Fox Sports. He is also reportedly planning on sitting out the Cowboys' opener against the New York Giants in September unless Dallas signs him to a long-term contract before July 15.

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Head coach Jason Garrett seemed to be unaffected by his star wideout's decision. Garrett acknowledges that playing in the NFL is a business, and a franchise player like Bryant has all the right to decide on what is best for him.

Bryant has also yet to sign the franchise tender worth $12.8 million, which makes him officially unemployed. If a long-term deal is not agreed on by the deadline, he has no choice but to accept the tender or not play, and not earn any money, at all for the next year. Contract negotiations could only be restarted after the next season ends.

Deciding to sit out games would also seem futile, or even detrimental, for Bryant, as per Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News. Any missed game means an almost $800,000 loss for the former Oklahoma State standout. Cowlishaw argued that it does not make sense to lose that kind of money if you are not allowed to make any negotiations within the season in the first place.

Recently, the two-time Pro Bowl player has received criticism from former Dallas fullback and three-time Super Bowl winner Darryl "Moose" Johnston with regards to his plans. Moose told reporters in a radio interview that Bryant was not putting his team first. Johnston also felt disappointed that he is passing the chance to practice and build precious chemistry with Cowboys' quarterback Tony Romo.

But Bryant has since answered that criticism by saying that he is just concerned about his and his family's future financial security, via CBS Sports. Of course, his reason is legit and is the same reason as all of the franchise tag beneficiaries have had ever since the franchise tag is conceived. What happens if he plays and got injured? What would happen to his family then?

That is surely a valid concern that Cowboys' management is well-aware of. But why can't they decide on a deal right now if both the front office and Bryant himself are on board of him playing in Dallas for the rest of his NFL career?

For the meantime, it is best that Bryant play for the team this season while at the same time working out the best contract that he could possibly receive along the way.

TagsNFL, NFL 2015, NFL news, NFL News 2015, NFL rumors, NFL Rumors 2015, Dallas Cowboys, Dez Bryant