Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Dallas Cowboys are reportedly planning to release wide receiver, Amari Cooper.
The Cowboys are “likely” to release Amari Cooper, per @AdamSchefter pic.twitter.com/jQlYMUFI0D
— PFF (@PFF) March 4, 2022
Cooper is 27 years old and a four-time Pro Bowler.
His best season statistically was in 2019 when he caught eight touchdown passes and had 1,189 yards receiving.
He averaged 15.1 yards per reception during that 2019 season.
On March 18, his 2022 salary of $20 million is fully guaranteed unless the Cowboys release him.
Is it a good idea for the Cowboys to move on from Cooper?
The answer is no, and here are the reasons why.
1. Cutting Cooper Does Not Solve The Cowboys’ Main Problem
Cooper has an overinflated contract, but the Cowboys’ real problem is Ezekiel Elliott‘s ridiculous contract.
I know the Cowboys will move on from Amari Cooper but that Zeke contract is really what’s killing them
— Damien Woody (@damienwoody) March 4, 2022
Cooper has played well and needs to stay on this team despite the hefty price tag to keep him there.
The Cowboys are dangerously close to being out of the window to win with aging players and the inability to retain talent because of salary cap issues.
Because of this, it is important to keep the successful pieces of this team together for 2022, and Cooper is one of them.
2. Young Receivers Will Need To Step Up ASAP
CeeDee Lamb had an excellent sophomore season that included going to the Pro Bowl.
He is still young and relatively inexperienced.
Michael Gallup tore his ACL in Week 17; however, the Cowboys seem to inexplicably want to throw a contract and money his way.
Even before the ACL injury, his numbers were not as good as Cooper’s.
The #Cowboys apparently didn’t love Amari Cooper’s durability.
But now they are willing to give another WR a long-term deal who is coming off an ACL tear?
Who also missed two months with a calf injury? Make it make sense.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) March 4, 2022
3. Chemistry With Prescott
From a dollars and cents perceptive, cutting Cooper makes sense, but cutting him hurts the Cowboys more than it helps them.
He is the veteran leader and the steady WR1.
Cooper has great chemistry with Prescott.
Trading for Amari Cooper SAVED Dak Prescott in 2018 and helped him blossom into the quarterback that he did (obviously the second half of 2021 does not look great).
Purposefully getting rid of Amari Cooper – and accruing nothing in return – is idiotic.
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) March 4, 2022
He had 68 receptions for 865 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2021.
Who is picking up the slack if Cooper is gone?
If This Happens, Cooper Will Be Fine But The Cowboys May Not Be
Cooper will definitely land on his feet.
Never forget Amari Cooper dropped 200 yards on a top 2 CB in football.
pic.twitter.com/MAAI1lxQsg— 🅿️laiboi🅿️ (@blakebooming) March 4, 2022
Practically every team in the NFL will be calling his agent because veteran wide receiver leadership is not easy to find.
He still is young and has plenty of good football left in his career.
Conclusion
The Cowboys are drawing a definitive line in the sand with this decision.
They are choosing fiscal sense over common sense.
There has to be more that we do not know about this situation because it is uncharacteristic for the Cowboys to do this.
Perhaps they are looking to the 2022 NFL Draft for a young receiver to fill out the wide receivers room.
It is a risk, especially with their NFC East competitors seemingly ready to spend money to improve their rosters.
This is the year for the Cowboys.
If they do not make it to the Super Bowl in the 2022 season, this team and coaching staff will be dismantled because of too many years of unmet expectations.
Keeping Cooper for 2022 gives the Cowboys a better chance to fulfill those great postseason expectations.
