DALLAS — The Cowboys have declined disgruntled wide receiver Patrick Crayton's request to be released.

Crayton's agent, Fred Lyles, acknowledged Friday that he recently asked the Cowboys to release his client. The Cowboys refused but did not close the door on the possibility, Lyles said in an e-mail.

"The situation may change before September," Lyles wrote. "Realistically, the Cowboys would like to receive some compensation for Crayton."

Cowboys owner-general manager Jerry Jones could not be reached for comment. Jones has previously said he has no plans of releasing Crayton.

Speaking on KESN-FM earlier in the day, Crayton repeated comments from earlier in the week that he hopes to be with a team that wants him. The Cowboys likely are not that team, Crayton said.

Crayton also said he doubts the Cowboys will conduct open competition for playing time at receiver. The inference is Pro Bowler Miles Austin, struggling veteran Roy Williams and top draft choice Dez Bryant are already ahead of Crayton in the pecking order.

Crayton told the station his fear is the Cowboys will keep him through training camp as insurance and dump him before the regular season, when rosters are set.

"To me, you're messing with people's careers and people's lives," Crayton told the station.

Crayton, under contract for the coming season is the only player to have skipped all of the voluntary organized team activities workouts.