Twitter: How Amari Cooper trade hurt the Raiders - 3 years

[Flamma]

This is a smart post. The whole reason I was worried about the amount getting paid to Dak was the salary cap and it then becoming harder to pay the talent he needs around him. However, I said I would be willing to admit if I were wrong. At this point, I think that's true. I now see Dak as a top 3 elite quarterback whereas back then I saw him as an above-average one. He's much, much better than I was expecting him to be. So, I was wrong. Paying his contract was totally worth it.

The Amari Cooper trade was totally worth it. We got exactly what we needed in an elite wide receiver. However, depending on the cap implications, it may or may not be worth keeping him at some point. Depends on a lot of things, such as how are the lower-paid receivers playing, what are our needs at other positions, how long he can keep playing at a high level, etc.

The bottom line is, thanks to the salary cap, there are rarely any easy decisions on which players to retain and which to let walk.

This is also a great post. But probably because I agree with every word of it. Because it's not unreasonable to think it's easier to win with a good QB on a rookie deal. Not everyone thought Dak sucked. Just that paying him the same as Mahomes might put us at a disadvantage.

We've seen a lot of QBs come into this league and just not put in the effort. We have a QB that put a football field on his property. In hindsight, that was probably a good sign. Now given the weapons, he's top notch. As opposed to being sandbagged in 2018.

 

[Jstopper]

Why, because you love Cooper no matter what?

no, because you’re showing very limited analysis skills

 

[Verdict]

This makes me laugh because I remember seeing the tweet that we traded for Amari and I was so pissed. Man was I wrong and it's funny cuz Cooper is one of my favorite players now. And when it happened I didn't want him here. Aww good ol memory lane.

We overpaid for Cooper at the time in terms of the draft pick we gave up AND his salary, and remarkably, he has still produced somewhat in terms of what we paid/gave up for him.

If I could trade Cooper for a first round pick he would be gone. We are going to have to find some cap room with Dak’s contract looming. Receivers are pretty easy to fine these days.

 

[JD_KaPow]

The Cowboys are 26-21 in the 47 regular season games Cooper has been in Dallas. Do you know what their record is in the 47 games prior to Cooper's arrival? 26-21. They won 1 playoff game and lost 1 playoff game.

I have no doubt that Cooper made them a better team in 2018 considering who their WRs were before Cooper arrived. They had no legitimate #1 receiver. Beasley was the best WR they had and he is purely a slot guy. Gallup was a rookie. Terence Williams was probably the best of the rest which included Alan Hurns and Tavon Austin. But in the end, the Cowboys have the same record in the same number of games they played before he arrived. And I know about 2020 and Dak being injured but Romo was injured in 2015 when the Cowboys went 4-12 so it kind of evens out.

Okay, so we agree that Cooper helped them win football games. No idea what 2016 has to do with this: it's not like they were getting guys from that year back.

 

[J_Allen]

He saved our season that year. He's been outstanding ever since.

I just wish people wouldn't boo him when he catches the ball. He doesn't deserve that...

If he keeps this up this trade will look just as good as the Roy Williams one where we traded five firsts, two seconds, a third, and one of Jerry's grandsons. And he was such a sure-handed receiver. Never dropped one pass that I saw.

 

[Lutonio]

I remember the day I heard that news about the trade so well. I was livid because I believed the team was on a major skid that would result in a very early first round pick.

Then I saw how the addition of Cooper pulled the offense together that year, and Dallas made the playoffs. In my defense, I owned it that year (and still to this day) that I have never been more wrong about a player/trade.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I thought we overpaid in the trade for Coop at the time. He’s certainly proven that take to be wrong.

 

[DCreppinBoysfan]

What second contract player on this team isnt overpaid to you?

Tyron on a super friendly contract. Maybe la el but that’s all that comes to mind…

 

[reddyuta]

shame he is ALWAYS hurt,i cringe everytime he catches a pass because he seems to pick up a new injury.

 

[Shane612]

no, because you’re showing very limited analysis skills

Cooper's stats with the cowboys validates my perspective.

 

[75boyz]

Some people don't seem to get the idea that a team cannot have high paid players at every position. In 2022 the Cowboys are going to have to make some tough decisions. Sure, I would love to keep Cooper and Gallup and CeeDee and Wilson but 2 of those guys are free agents and there are a bunch of other free agents as well. Every time Dallas overpays a guy it makes retaining someone else that much harder. Cooper throughout his career has disappeared in half his games. That's a fact anyone can look up. This year he has 1 100 yard game and 5 games under 70 yards. In 2 games he is under 30 yards. I will not dispute his route running ability but for $20 million he is not producing as much as we should expect. Maybe if Zeke didn't cost $15 million, Lawrence $21 million, and Dak $40 million it would not be so bad to keep Cooper, but we will see in the next 2 years a few of these guys will have to go and one is not going to be Dak.

Maybe trading Cooper hurts the offense a little, assuming they don't draft another guy who can play, but maybe dumping his salary helps them retain other talent to make the team better.

Outstanding post.

Not sure it can be explained in any simpler pay vs. production terms and it's overall roster effect.

One day, good Cowboys players won't be rewarded with elite contracts.

Jaylon was cut though, so...baby steps I guess.

jmo