Amari Cooper was overrated here. Look at the numbers

[Malhavoc]

well your probably looking at stats, which are flawed, Stats dont mean much.
I am ok with them cutting amari, I think it is stupid, but thats ok, now lamb will be exposed , and we will see if he was worth the 1st round pick or not.
And gallup, it will take him awhile to get back to where he was, if at all.

Stats matter when you are paying.a guy 20 m per year and over 30 players had more yards than him. Any sane GM would release the player.

 

[DandyDon52]

Exactly. People like to blame Dak for being the reason a receiver struggles, but Amari SHOULD be able to make plays regardless if he was truly a $20M/year superstar. We can cut ties with this contract without major repercussions so it is definitely worth considering.

dak and kellen were a big part of the problem, and next season without amari, the defense wont have to cover him anymore, so it will all be on lamb.
lets see what happens next season. Gallup has to heal up and get back in shape, so it will be wilson and turner carrying the load, and shultz.

 

[DandyDon52]

Stats matter when you are paying.a guy 20 m per year and over 30 players had more yards than him. Any sane GM would release the player.

stats are flawed, so they dont matter lol
or they dont tell the whole story.
I like that they are cutting him, lets see how they do without him.

 

[doomsday9084]

Can't dig down into the stats but since 2018, the Cowboys are 3-6 in games Amare did not play in and 33-23 in games he did play in.

 

[jterrell]

We need to run qbr/yards/TDs thrown by Dak in the same games which Cooper is getting called out on. Put Cooper with Russel Wilson/Rodgers/Mahomes/Allen, we will see him

This is not great.

NFL WRs seldom get to go pick 1 of 4 QBs to be their guy.

Cooper has been in the league 7 years and has had a top 20 QB for all 7 of those years.
He doesn't need a pity party.

He's a really good player who has been good but not great.
He's never had a 1200 yard receiving season, double digit receiving TDs nor 100 catches.

But with Dak he did twice have career high 8 TDs season.
He did have a 92 catch season with Dak.
And he did have 1100+ receiving yards 3 times. TWO of those with Dak.

He's a very legit WR1 but an average WR1 is that 15ish overall range.
Spotrac says he is worth 17M per year.
In Dallas he is making 20M. That isn't a ton of difference but it is a luxury and chances are his value drops going forward as he is now a heavily used 28 year old.

Dallas is going to give more snaps to CeeDee Lamb and treat him like a WR1.

When CeeDee fell to Dallas this was all pretty much obvious. And last year when Dallas didn't restructure Coop but instead paid his 20M yearly salary in full this was painfully obvious.

FWIW, Coop's largest non Dallas offer was WFT. Where could have played with that set of "awesome" QBs. He wasn't on the radar to catch passes for any of the guys you listed and likely won't be after release.

 

[Malhavoc]

stats are flawed, so they dont matter lol
or they dont tell the whole story.
I like that they are cutting him, lets see how they do without him.

When over 30 players have more receiving yards than you do, that story speaks for itself.

 

[eromeopolk]

THIS IS NOT A HATE AMARI COOPER THREAD. I like Cooper. But I also think it was a smart move for the Cowboys, both for obvious cap reasons and the fact that he was overrated here.

Now that I have that out of the way, let us count the reasons why Cooper’s release could be a good thing:

• Amari Cooper is a very good receiver. He’s an excellent route runner. BUT- he is not a great 3rd down receiver (when you need a 3rd down conversion)
  • In 2021, Cooper was 26th in the league in 3rd down receptions for a first down. For $20 mil a season, that’s not great. (Btw- Cedee Lamb was 16th)

• He’s not as much of a big play guy as he used to be- In YAC yardage, Cooper was way below avg- GET THIS- Dalton Schultz, Cedric Wilson and Tony Pollard all had better YAC numbers than Coop in 2021.
  • Cooper has never been that great in YAC numbers in his career. He’s really more of a possession receiver which makes both his price tag and his lack of big 3rd down plays a problem.
  • His last two seasons, he’s only averaging about 12 yards per reception. Again, more of a possession receiver than a big play receiver.

• He has tended to disappear in the bigger games when your big play receiver is MOST needed. Not all big games. He did have some big games. But not enough to make him a star. Here are some examples:
  • In both playoff losses Cooper played in, (2018, 2021) he averaged less than 70 yards per game.
  • In 2019’s most critical game that decided the NFC East vs Filly, Cooper had 4 receptions for 24 yds and famously stood on the sidelines in the last drive.
  • Another critical game in 2019, vs NE on the road, Coop got shut out with zero catches. (Randall Cobb and Gallup had 86 and 55 yds that day)
  • In that terrible loss against Arizona last year that cost us the #2 seed, Coop had 3 catches for 18 yds, despite 8 targets and two drops.

I’m not here to bash Amari Cooper. He’s a very good receiver. But Cowboys fans, let’s be honest. Is he a top 20 receiver in this league? NO. Not in receptions, YAC, 3rd down conversions…etc, etc. We cannot pay a WR $20 mil a season with that kind of return.

Will we miss Cooper? Maybe some. But the cap savings could provide more help at other positions without losing much on offense.

In my book letting him go is the right move.

What was the Jonesboys record in 2018 before Cooper? How did they finish the 2018 season with Cooper? Did Cooper catch 92 passes for +1100 yds with no Dak Prescott at QB and a COVID 19 injured Zeke Elliott in 2020? What was Cooper's stat line when Dak did not play against the Vikings this year? Who was the leading WR in this year's playoff lost and who scored the TD? Who scored a TD and was the leading WR in the playoffs in 2018? Who had 19 receptions for 235 yards, and 2 TDs in 2 playoff appearances with the Jonesboys? Cooper missed the whole 2021 preseason and caught 13 receptions for 139 yds and 2 TDs against Tampa in the opener. This was after Jerry Jones had the Jonesboys believing CeeDee Lamb was the star of training camp and was going to destroy the NFL in 2021.

Jerry Jones can fool all Jonesboys fans all of the time. But Jerry Dumbo GM Jones can not fool me about football at no time. Cooper was put out the country club to stop the silence of the Lamb.

Cooper is aloof (however, teammates love him) and he is a baller when allowed to get the ball. He is not a Jerry Jones brown nose lover. He comes in does his work and performs. He did nothing to get cut or traded in 2021 but he did tell the truth..

Cooper, who has never been an prima donna WR asking for the ball spoke these true frustrations about 2021... "I gotta be honest, it actually does," Cooper said when asked if he's bothered even during a win streak. "Because, yeah, we're winning, but the defense is playing a huge part in that. We're not really as explosive as we should be. We're not converting a lot of their turnovers into touchdowns. A lot of them are field goals. And I feel like I could be a huge part of that, so that's what frustrates me ... I think I can do more in the red zone if I get some targets. I can do more on third down if I get the targets. To help the offense be what we need to be, I think I can definitely help change that."...““We have a whole bunch of playmakers on offense. There’s only 1 ball. I think it’s more that than the defense. I’m not getting double-teamed or something like that. I’m just staying ready for when my opportunity comes because it will come.”

Cut him and hope he never plays the Arlington Jonesboys again or its going to be a Randy Moss replay.

*Amari Cooper, DS #1 WR, Alabama
Selected: Round 1, Pick 4, Overall Pick 4 by Raiders

Name: *Amari Cooper
College: Alabama Number: 9
Height: 6-1 Weight: 211
Position: WR Pos2:
Class/Draft Year: Jr/2015

Combine Results
Combine Invite: Yes
Height: 6007
Weight: 211

Zybek PD3X AKA "Official"
40 Yard Dash (ET): 4.42
40 Yard Dash (HH): 4.31
20 Yard (ET): 2.63
20 Yard (HH): 2.51
10 Yard (ET): 1.61
10 Yard (HH): 1.56
225 Lb. Bench Reps:
Vertical Jump: 33
Broad Jump: 10'00"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 3.98
3-Cone Drill: 6.71
No Bench-Shoulder

Pro Day Results
Dates: 03/11/15
Hand: 10 Arm: 31 1/2
Wingspan: 76 1/4
Height: 6007
Weight: 211
40 Yrd Dash:
20 Yrd Dash:
10 Yrd Dash: 225 Lb. Bench Reps:
Vertical Jump: 34
Broad Jump:
20 Yrd Shuttle:
3-Cone Drill:
Pos Drills Only.

 

[DandyDon52]

When over 30 players have more receiving yards than you do, that story speaks for itself.

not really , those 30 all play for different teams with different oc's total yards is a meaningless stat anyway.

 

[Malhavoc]

not really , those 30 all play for different teams with different oc's total yards is a meaningless stat anyway.

Actually really. Especially when you are paying that guy over 20 m per year. He won’t sniff 20 m per year once he is a FA.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Excellent post. But Cooper really wasn't producing last year and wasn't drawing as much double coverage as we thought. The Cowboys will probably bring Gallup back to start opposite Lamb but they are going to have to pick up a speedy option either through free agency and the draft. Personally I think Lamb is ready to become the true number one so long as he overcomes the lapses in concentration he showed in 2021.

Another guy as a speed option means we plan on committing to at least 3 WRs on the field as our base?

I suppose it could happen, especially with as of now all our TEs from last year probably not returning. You could be right about Cooper not drawing double coverage as much. At least with some teams. That could explain the down games of the team last year. But that sputtering would surely happen more w/o Cooper. Dak likes guys who get open. They made a big deal over prioritizing separation in WRs. I don't see anyone as a guy who gets separation now, and that's if they bring everyone but Cooper back.

I'd rather have Cooper than the pair of Gallup and Schultz. Or the trio of Gallup, Schultz, and Wilson. I see all 3 as guys who are nothing special, benefitting from Cooper and Lamb rightly getting the most attention. With Cooper gone, that's one less special player. It will be on Lamb to draw attention, and w/o the route running or speed of Cooper he'd be a guy Dak would have to throw open, and that has never been Dak. At his best he'll hit a small window, but he's never been about making adjustments to put a WR in better position.

I see bad value players who aren't difference makers in Gallup, Schultz, and Wilson. Better value in just keeping Cooper, even though he's not living up to his contract either. At least we won't be stuck with new contracts and more money down the line with him, and we'll put a bunch of young guys on the field to develop for the future. Though I'd probably just move on from the lot of them right now. Time to see if the 40mil Dollar Man can carry $40mil of the load.

 

[Big_D]

Did you read the OP? He did help us in 2018. But he was being asked to be a superstar WR. That is something he never was nor will be. He’s a very good WR. He’s not a star.

This is the Cowboys problem in a nutshell. In some cases they have good players. But their paid in the elite category and none of them are stars. Cooper joins Lawrence, Zeke and Prescott. The team would’ve been better off moving on instead of overpaying.

 

[gimmesix]

Did you read the OP? He did help us in 2018. But he was being asked to be a superstar WR. That is something he never was nor will be. He’s a very good WR. He’s not a star.

It always seemed like he could be if he could just get past his lower-leg injuries. There were times when he was fully healthy that he just dominated. Unfortunately, he has rarely been full healthy.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Dallas has done a horrible job of featuring their top target. Poor play design. Poor execution. Poor effort. Anyone who watches how Kupp, Tyreek Hill, Kelse, etc., get featured despite defenses keying on them, cannot say Dallas tried or did the same for or with Cooper.

He may not be Devonte Adams, but I wish Dallas will ensure their number 1 gets opportunities like Adams does in Green Bay.

yes we did. what about all those WR screens.... come on now

 

[basel90]

I largely agreed with your take. Dak won't target him seemingly, so why pay for a #1. I mean he's not a check down RB or TE?

I will say this twitter post made me question my stance..

Maybe we're paying him to make Dak better across the board?

both are bad. Dak has been such a mediocre QB

 

[Risen Star]

When Bob starts off with 'This is not a hate thread', buckle up.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

A WR is only as good as the QB getting him the ball. The YAC number isn't surprising since most of the time Coops having to make circus catches on curl routes. It makes perfect sense that Dak's short yardage, dump off guys (Schultz, Pollard, Wilson) have better YAC numbers. That said, Amari isn't worth 20M on this team. We have too many other options to get any value from paying one guy that much money. When he got here, he was about the only good option. Not so anymore.

most of the time making circus catches? like how many times? how did you come to that conclusion? or is it one of those facts you reached behind you deep and pulled out?

 

[gimmesix]

It will be interesting to see what he’s signed for with another team. And what we end up paying Gallup.

And then measure the difference in production versus salary.

Who thinks we’ll prob overpay Gallup and Shultz too. And they prob don’t meet those expectations. Lol

Does it really matter what he signs for elsewhere? He's coming off a "down" season, is a year older and his chronic lower-body injuries are well-documented now. What he is going to get elsewhere at this point may not match what he's set to receive for us if we keep him. Maybe Coop and Gallup sign for the same amount, but if so, it will likely be because Cooper is no longer seen as a No. 1. He's still relatively young, but he's going into his eighth season of wear and tear. Usually, the second contract is better than the third because of that unless the receiver is playing at an even higher level at that time.

 

[Risen Star]

The question still is how he was utilized.

I saw them feed Lamb the ball like he was the WR1.

What if I told you the offensive coordinator doesn't call 'throw it to Lamb on 3'?

You saw the QB feed it to Lamb like he was the WR1.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Cooper wasn't getting open whether it's his fault or it's Moore's fault. He had the second lowest avg separation of any player with 800 yds or more receiving at 2.5. Guys like Tee Higgins and Mike Evans can get away with that because of their size and physicality. Then there's guys like Kupp and Tyreke who are at 3.6 which is over a yard more in separation on every pass route than Amari which is huge. Deebo was at 3.3 and Ceedee at 3.1. Amari HAS to be above 3yds to be successful.

where did you get these stats?

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Stats matter when you are paying.a guy 20 m per year and over 30 players had more yards than him. Any sane GM would release the player.

Jerry is sane? when did that happen? why didn't anybody wake me and tell me...come on people.