First, J.J. Watt ... next, Dez Bryant?!
If Dez had it his way, that's exactly the way things would go down in Arizona this offseason ... 'cause the former Cowboys superstar tells TMZ Sports he wants to follow in Watt's free agent footsteps and be a Cardinal in 2021!
"I think that would be dope being next to my boy D Hop [Deandre Hopkins], Christian Kirk, Kyler Murray," Bryant told us out in Beverly Hills on Thursday.
"I think they have a dope offense. I feel like they got a dope defense. I think they got a dope coach ... If I had to choose, yeah, if that opportunity presented itself, I think I would take it."
It's unclear if Arizona has any interest in signing Bryant ... the receiver will turn 33 years old in November -- and the Cards are already loaded at wideout, especially if Larry Fitzgerald returns.
But, Dez -- who came back from a two-year hiatus to play well and score two TDs for the Baltimore Ravens last season -- says he thinks he could thrive for the Cards in a #2 or #3 role.
FIRST DEZ BRYANT TOUCHDOWN IN THREE YEARS ❌
— ESPN (@espn) December 20, 2020
(via @Ravens)pic.twitter.com/Et39TsDEP4
"I feel like if you gonna play me one-on-one," Dez said, "I'ma win."
If Arizona doesn't work out ... Dez said he'd be more than open to re-signing with his former Cowboys squad, telling us he LOVES what Dallas did with Dak Prescott's new contract.
"I'll tell you this," Dez said, "if it was possible, of course I'd be open to it if it was possible."
Dez -- who still holds receiving records for the Cowboys -- has piled up 7,506 receiving yards and 75 receiving touchdowns in his 9-year NFL career.