What is the real reason for trading Amari Cooper?

[Cowpolk]

He started sucking and slacking there for he was sent packing

 

[CowboyoWales]

If Cooper was adequately “replaced”, why are they talking about signing Odell Beckham?

None of your claims line up with reality.

We did adequately replace him, however, now we have the ability to upgrade with a baller that provides the skillset that's missing in the WR Corp and may gel with Dak's style....a WR who contests catches.

Could argue that: cutting Coop, see how the receivers perform, knowing that there maybe receivers available at the deadline (and working out that OBJ maybe available around this time) is one of the first times that the Jones have used a sound strategy based on a balance of financial CAP management and potentially 'win-now' mode.

 

[Hadenough]

Amari Cooper is clearly a talented NFL wide receiver. He has size, speed, and superior route running ability. So why have both the Raiders and the Cowboys cut ties with him after 3-1/2 seasons in each location?

The missed trade for Brandon Cooks, and the potential signing of Odell Beckham, Jr. means that it wasn’t money that drove the decision to part with Cooper. Both players will command salaries similar to Cooper.

From the outside looking in, it appears that Amari has always been the consummate professional in how he handles himself with fans and the media. So it is a bit baffling that he has only had a shelf life of about 42 months in each location prior to being traded a second time to the Browns for only a 5th round pick.

The reality is that although offensive production is down in Dallas this year, we don’t know how much of that to attribute to the loss of Cooper. The injury to Dak, and the renewed commitment to running the football have also contributed to the lower overall production through the first 8 games.

Frankly, I’m left wondering what it is about Cooper that we don’t know.

In case you missed it go back and watch his non blocking in the 49ers game on the last drive. If Cooper makes his blocks the Cowboys gain a lot more yards. On the two plays to Pollard and Lamb it was Cooper's guy making the tackle. I think Cooper was becoming lazy and disgruntles when he wasn't thrown the football and he had his money. Plus it seemed like he was always dealing with a foot issue.

 

[Hadenough]

Jerry Jones: Amari Cooper is a real good player, the issue was how much we were paying him

That could be said about a few others too!

 

[Starforever]

OBJ, is not going to be paid Cooper money. Neither was Cooks, or he would be with the team. So, that could not be a reason.

 

[cnuball21]

Just a typical Jones roster management blunder IMO.

Cooper is a stud, he never got the target volume of a true #1 while here so he didn’t have inflated stats but that’s wasn’t his problem. If Jerry wanted to move on ok…but what did he do to replace him? James Washington? Good joke.

Letting Amari go was dumb. Getting a 5th was dumber. Not replacing him in the offseason was dumbest.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

It is more the fact the Cowboys FO often make emotional move or non-moves, Dez got Chirpy and all of asudden he was a cap casualty after signing a new deal 2 years earlier, was it warranted maybe, probably, but the staff, FO and QB put out a narrative that the NFL teams do not need #1 WR, well until they do and they trade for Cooper. Fans here used the reasoning that Dez was too diva-ish and production and dollars did not line up all of which can be true. Fast forward 3 years and almost the same thing to the T happens, get rid of Chirpy WR, reasoning dollars do not match up to production, fans well it was COVID, it was the disappearing acts, he did not show enough EMOTION. I have said this since they let Cooper go, all the WR in Dallas have a tendency to disappear for long stretches, Cooper, Gallup, Lamb sometimes all 3 seem to be on the same vacation. That is not a WR problem that is another problem, the talent at WR in Dallas last year was good enough that if one was off the other 2-3 pick up the slack but last year it seemed only guy picking up slack was Wilson until he eventually disappeared. And here we are looking for another shiny object because either the FO over estimated the talent at WR on the team of the scheme does nothing to help these WR, or the QB is power tripping.

They got rid of Dez when he could no longer produce at a high level. What’s the issue? He played for two teams in the Ravens and Saints and they got rid of him too.

When have the Cowboys gotten rid of a player and got worse as a team?

Do you have a problem with them getting rid of Collins and Gregory and Conner too?

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Just a typical Jones roster management blunder IMO.

Cooper is a stud, he never got the target volume of a true #1 while here so he didn’t have inflated stats but that’s wasn’t his problem. If Jerry wanted to move on ok…but what did he do to replace him? James Washington? Good joke.

Letting Amari go was dumb. Getting a 5th was dumber. Not replacing him in the offseason was dumbest.

You can’t pay three receivers in this league big money. One has to go. Coop had to go. It was actually smart to get rid of him. Now you can argue how they replaced him but Lamb and Gallup should be enough.

 

[Jumbo075]

Thanks for all the answers to the question I posed in the original post. It has given me some more insight.

Personally, until the Cowboys started pursuing another wide receiver at the trade deadline, I never questioned the reason given that the Cowboys needed the money for other things. It made sense to dump the salary given the play of Lamb, Gallup, and Wilson. I was more disappointed in losing Wilson than losing Cooper.

I still don’t have an issue with the decision to move on from Cooper. With big money contracts soon coming due for younger players on defense, it made sense to dump the salaries of Cooper and La’el Collins. It seemed that the Cowboys had a good plan to replace them with Lamb and Steele. Obviously, the team (barring the first game against the Buccaneers) has done well this season, so it doesn’t seem like the team is missing Cooper or Collins. And although I was a big fan of Gregory, it appears that the Cowboys got lucky when he decided to go to Denver instead of staying in Dallas.

So, I was caught off guard in the last two weeks with all the talk about Cooks and Beckham coming from the front office. I was unaware of the stories of dissatisfaction with Cooper for non-money reasons. I appreciate everyone providing some answers.

 

[cnuball21]

You can’t pay three receivers in this league big money. One has to go. Coop had to go. It was actually smart to get rid of him. Now you can argue how they replaced him but Lamb and Gallup should be enough.

But we wouldn’t be, Lamb is still on a rookie deal and Coopers contract looks like a bargain after the market reset.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

But we wouldn’t be, Lamb is still on a rookie deal and Coopers contract looks like a bargain after the market reset.

Lambs deal is about to get renewed. Coops deal wasn’t a bargain no way you look at it. Which is why when it came time to trade him
Nobody wanted to offer salary cap relief and draft completion higher than a 5.

 

[cnuball21]

Lambs deal is about to get renewed. Coops deal wasn’t a bargain no way you look at it. Which is why when it came time to trade him
Nobody wanted to offer salary cap relief and draft completion higher than a 5.

Who cares, it wasn’t up yet so we had the money.

And yes - it is a bargain. Go look at what other #1s are making.

 

[Stash]

I never said he was adequately replaced.

Your own quote said that:

I don't know why there's a certain part of this fanbase that every time we let a guy go for the better they always have to be the ones to remind us that we screwed up. Now y'all complain that we need another receiver and we should've never got rid of Coop..yet Lamb has replaced him at a cheaper cost.

 

[Stash]

You really don't know what you are talking about.

I’m not making up false narratives.

 

[Stash]

They are making the team better. Is there something wrong with making the team better?

Clearly not. Otherwise they’re not trying to trade and sign other receivers to fix the mistake they made.

 

[Stash]

So the actual game footage is false. I guess that you believe that the moon landing was fake.

What “footage”? Where do the coaches, players, and quarterback say they ‘don’t want Cooper’ like you falsely claim?

 

[Stash]

We did adequately replace him, however, now we have the ability to upgrade with a baller that provides the skillset that's missing in the WR Corp and may gel with Dak's style....a WR who contests catches.

Could argue that: cutting Coop, see how the receivers perform, knowing that there maybe receivers available at the deadline (and working out that OBJ maybe available around this time) is one of the first times that the Jones have used a sound strategy based on a balance of financial CAP management and potentially 'win-now' mode.

 

[Hadenough]

OBJ, is not going to be paid Cooper money. Neither was Cooks, or he would be with the team. So, that could not be a reason.

Exactly! I think with Cooks they would of had to assume his 18 mil a year contract but with OBJ his money would be prorated and it would be just a rental for this year.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Who cares, it wasn’t up yet so we had the money.

And yes - it is a bargain. Go look at what other #1s are making.

Cooper ain’t a number one though. Davante Adams is a number one. Tyreke is. Number one.

And yeah I’m sure you don’t care right now. But if when it’s time to re-sign Diggs and Parsons and you can’t because you mismanaged the cap and can’t? Yeah you will care then.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Your own quote said that:

As far as production goes he has replaced him. The problem is they haven’t had anyone replace Lambs production from last year. Cooper isn’t a number one in this league and maybe Lamb isn’t either. He hasn’t shown it yet if he is. I can’t cry about losing a number two receiver.