Dez Bryant has maintained it wasn’t about money for him.

Bryant could have signed with the Baltimore Ravens early this offseason for $21 million over three years, but passed. He never really seemed interested in a huge deal, and he didn’t get one.

Bryant can max out at $1 million for the last eight games of the season, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He has a one-year, $1.75 million deal that’s prorated over the rest of the season. He can earn $500,000 more in reception incentives, and depending how high those numbers are set, it could be difficult, considering it’ll take him time to get up to speed.

There were clearly reasons other than money behind his decisions this offseason.

Dez Bryant not all about money

In one tweet back on Aug. 27, Bryant laid out his mindset. Even then, before the season, he was dismissing thoughts that it was all about maximizing his earning potential.

We complain about athletes just being in it for the money, so it stands to reason that we should respect Bryant for being about more than just money. He landed with the Saints, one of the few Super Bowl favorites. It clearly was important for him to get with the team he felt comfortable with, for whatever reason, even if he turned down a lot more money elsewhere.

Saints give Bryant a unique opportunity

New Orleans could end up being a good situation for Bryant. He gets to play with Drew Brees, one of the best quarterbacks ever. The offense is fantastic. The Saints will almost definitely be in the playoffs, with the chance to go very deep. That will potentially be good for Bryant’s exposure before he hits free agency again, if that’s on his mind. He also has a good chance to make a Super Bowl, which he never got to do with the Cowboys.

It could all go south, too. Bryant is joining a successful team in November, he doesn’t have all that much time to learn the system and get chemistry with Brees, and he’ll also need to get back in football shape.

He could have had more financial security elsewhere, and in that aspect his ultimate decision was a gamble. Though, he hasn’t indicated he’ll have any regrets about the money.

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Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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