From 1973 to 1980, #88 on the Cowboys, Drew Pearson, was 22-29 years old. During that time, he:

• Made 3 Pro Bowls and earned 3 AP first-team All-Pro honors
• Ranked 3rd in receiving yards
• Ranked 3rd in receptions
• Ranked tied for 11th in receiving touchdowns
• Played on a team that ranked 11th in pass attempts (mostly 26 teams)
• Won a Super Bowl

From 1988 to 1995, #88 on the Cowboys, Michael Irvin, was 22-29 years old. During that time, he:

• Made 5 Pro Bowls and earned 1 AP first-team All-Pro honor
• Ranked 3rd in receiving yards
• Ranked 6th in receptions
• Ranked 7th in receiving touchdowns
• Played on a team that ranked 18th in pass attempts (30 teams)
• Won three Super Bowls

From 2010 to 2017, #88 on the Cowboys, Dez Bryant, was 22-29 years old. During that time, he:

• Made 3 Pro Bowls and earned 1 AP first-team All-Pro honor
• Ranked 8th in receiving yards
• Ranked tied for 12th in receptions
• Ranked 2nd in receiving touchdowns
• Played on a team that ranked 21st in pass attempts (32 teams)

Bryant continued the rich tradition of Cowboy wide receivers wearing 88 to turn into stars.  He also may continue another Cowboys wide receiver tradition: being very, very good, but not quite Hall of Fame good.  In addition to Pearson, consider another Hall of Fame outsider:

From 1978 to 1985, #80 on the Cowboys, Tony Hill, was 22-29 years old. During that time, he:

• Made 3 Pro Bowls and earned 0 AP first-team All-Pro honors
• Ranked 4th in receiving yards
• Ranked 7th in receptions
• Ranked tied for 3rd in receiving touchdowns
• Played on a team that ranked 6th in pass attempts (28 teams)

After turning 30, Pearson had three more seasons of solid but nonremarkable play.  Irvin did, too (and a fourth unremarkable season), but he had already built a legendary career in his 20s.  Hill played just one more season.

Bryant’s Cowboys career has come to a momentary end, and for now, he’s in the Hill/Pearson/Irvin tier of Cowboys greats.  But he’ll need a few more notable, Pro Bowl caliber seasons to become a strong Hall of Fame candidate.  And, for a better or worse, a ring wouldn’t hurt, either.