National Football League

Bryant says he'll skip Cowboys' camp if no deal reached by Wednesday

Published Jul. 13, 2015 2:55 p.m. ET

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Dez Bryant is sending another signal that he won't play for the Dallas Cowboys without a long-term contract.

The unsigned All-Pro receiver posted a message on Twitter to Dallas fans Monday, apologizing while saying he "will not be there" if he doesn't have a new deal by Wednesday's deadline.

As much as I love football...on my beautiful babies.. I apologize #cowboynation but I will not be there if no deal #fact
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) July 13, 2015

Bryant, who led the NFL with 16 touchdowns receiving last season, has a one-year offer of $12.8 million under the franchise tag. Because he hasn't signed a contract, Bryant can't be fined for missing training camp, which starts July 30. He would lose about $750,000 for each regular-season game he skipped.

"As much as I love football ... I apologize (hash)cowboynation but I will not be there if no deal," wrote Bryant, who skipped offseason workouts and has said he would consider missing games.

Bryant showed up on the sidelines at offseason practice a couple of times, including the final mandatory minicamp workout at AT&T Stadium in June. He had about a 15-minute chat with owner Jerry Jones.

The Cowboys are not commenting on negotiations with Bryant, who was trending after his tweet. Actor Rob Lowe chimed in on Twitter, writing, "Pay Dez. (hash)Cowboys (hash)NFL This is a no-brainier (sic)."

If the 26-year-old Bryant doesn't sign the franchise tender by 4 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday, he can't sign a long-term contract until after the season.

That makes his situation different from former Dallas running back Emmitt Smith. The NFL's all-time rushing leader missed the first two games in 1993 in a contract dispute, and signed a new deal after the defending Super Bowl champions lost both.

The contract is guaranteed if Bryant signs, but he has indicated that long-term financial stability is important to him. Bryant just completed his five-year rookie deal that paid him a total of about $11.8 million.

ESPN's Ed Werder reported on Monday that Bryant personally called Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones to say he won't attend camp and will miss regular season games if the deal isn't done this week.

Shortly after, Jones denied the report to multiple media outlets.

FOXSports.com's Ross Jones detailed last month why it's highly unlikely Bryant and Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas will continue to wait for contract extensions.

"Things typically move quicker when you're negotiating with a gun to your head," one agent told FOXSports.com in June. "Teams are banking on a weak player and agent to bring the overall market down."

The NFL Players Association is reviewing information to determine if there was collusion between the Broncos and Cowboys as they navigate the waters of finding the franchise wide receiver market, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported last week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.