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Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant has put up the kind of season every player dreams of in a contract year.

But Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said this morning that Dallas is the only place he’ll be getting paid.

Via Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Jones said on his weekly radio show on 105.3 The Fan that if a long-term deal with Bryant can’t be reached this offseason, they’ll use the franchise tag on him.

Bryant has been brilliant this year, with 84 catches for 1,221 yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s one of the biggest reasons the Cowboys have gone from their perpetual 8-8 status to the NFC East title and the playoffs, and they can’t let him go into the market.

While the threat of the tag won’t be greeted warmly by Bryant and his agent, it could also spark talks on a long-term deal. The Cowboys have tried to lock up young stars far into the future, but Bryant has the kind of leverage others might not.