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It seems like a foregone conclusion. After the Cowboys traded a first-round pick to obtain the services of Amari Cooper in the middle of the 2018 season, a long-term contract with the star receiver would surely follow. You usually don’t give up that kind of draft capital for just one and half years of service. It’s not like Cooper has been a bust, either. His arrival heralded a turnaround in the 2018 season that led to the playoffs.
Now, the 2019 season was a little more mixed. Cooper was a force in the first half of the season. Through the first nine games he had four 100-yard games (including a monster 226-yard game) and racked up seven touchdowns. It looked like it was going to be a standout year. Things then took a downturn. Injuries certainly seemed to be a part of the problem. Over the last seven games he never cracked the 100-yard mark and only had one more touchdown.
Then there was the infamous play where he wasn’t on the field when the game was on the line against the Eagles.
Amari Cooper says he was pulled by the coaches prior to that fourth down.
— David Helman (@HelmanDC) December 23, 2019
Later it was reported that the Cowboys pulled him because he wasn’t playing well, not because of injury or that he was tired after running routes in the two-minute offense.
the Cowboys limited Amari Cooper snaps in the 4th quarter against the eagles because he wasn't playing well, per sources. They legitimately didn't think having him in on 4th and 8 have them the best chance to win. if he is not hurt, this will be revisited in contract talks
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) December 23, 2019
So 2019 wasn’t quite the smashing success that 2018 was for Cooper and the Cowboys. Still, Cooper did manage to break 1,000 yards on the year and grab eight touchdowns. He did have some huge days including a 226-yard day and a 147-yard day.
Cooper has made it known he would like to return to Dallas, and Stephen Jones has said he is the second priority behind Dak Prescott. So in all likelihood, he will be back in Dallas on a very large, long-term deal. The Cowboys will want to give Prescott as many top-notch weapons as they possibly can and Cooper certainly qualifies.
But what if something goes wrong? It certainly not unthinkable that Cooper could demand more than the Cowboys are willing to spend. With Dallas trying to sign Prescott and a whole boat full of lesser free agents, the salary cap juggling will be a task for the the front-office.
An NFL.com article imagines where Cooper could land if not in Dallas, and their choice, after the Cowboys, would make you absolutely sick as a Cowboys fan.
2) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: I don’t see Jerry Jones breaking the bank for Cooper, and if Dallas’ offer isn’t up to his standard, it will only take one team to put big money on the table for Cooper to leave. It wouldn’t surprise me if Eagles general manager Howie Roseman came calling. There’s no doubt Cooper could help this offense, which was extremely thin at the wide receiver position last season, with injuries plaguing nearly every starter. Cooper’s production doesn’t always match his crazy ability, but I believe he’d do well paired with a player like Alshon Jeffery. Cooper wouldn’t draw all of the attention, and he wouldn’t have to be “the guy” for the Eagles. Plus, he’d have a field day facing the Cowboys’ secondary twice a year.
Unimaginable. That would be a disaster for the Cowboys.
The other three places they list are the Bills, Broncos and Cardinals.
So what say you BTB? Can you see a scenario where Cooper is not back in Dallas? And how ill would you be if he ended up in Philly?