Bryant: "I realized quick Baltimore wasn't the place for me. No bad blood. That's their way of doing things so you gotta respect it."
Dez Bryant wants to play for two more seasons, but he doesn't plan to continue his career with the Ravens.
In a series of tweets on Tuesday night, Bryant addressed his time in Baltimore and why he never broke out of his limited role with the team.
"I realized quick Baltimore wasn't the place for me," Bryant wrote. "No bad blood. That's their way of doing things so you gotta respect it."
After sitting out two seasons, Bryant, 32, signed with the Ravens' practice squad last October before making his debut in Week 9. He tallied six catches for 47 yards and two touchdowns in six games.
The Ravens' passing attack finished last in the NFL in 2020, with Bryant ranking below Marquise Brown, Miles Boykin and Willie Snead on the depth chart. Bryant played 129 snaps and never eclipsed more than 28 yards receiving in a game. The three-time Pro Bowler was held without a catch in Baltimore's two playoff games.
When a fan commented that he should have been given a better opportunity, Bryant responded: "It's hard. I've been off almost three years. I flashed my abilities to the point [Ravens coach John] Harbaugh asked was I ready to play because he thought I was ready ...You have to learn the playbook ... chemistry with the QB have to be on point."
He said in another tweet that his chemistry with quarterback Lamar Jackson "was good on and off the field."
Bryant previously worked out with the Ravens last August. He planned to play in 2018 after signing a one-year deal with the Saints in November of that year, but he tore his Achilles in his first practice. His signing came after a long free agency following his release from the Cowboys after the 2017 season.
Bryant caught 531 passes for 7,459 yards in eight seasons with Dallas. He also tallied a franchise-record 73 touchdown catches.
The Ravens weren't expected to bring Bryant back in 2021. They will likely consider other wide receivers in free agency or the NFL draft.
When asked about his plans for 2021, Bryant wrote: "I plan on playing two more years and that's it for me."