ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke some surprising news out of the NFL combine Friday morning: Star wideout Amari Cooper of the Dallas Cowboy is likely to be released.
Cooper has been one of the league’s premier receivers for some time but saw a down year in what otherwise was a prolific Cowboys offense. It appears as if Jerry Jones and company are not willing to pay the $20 million cap hit of Cooper’s contract, in favor of bringing back Michael Gallup on a multi-year extension.
Schefter reported the Cowboys will attempt to trade Cooper, but that it appears unlikely due to a team having to take on his massive contract signed in the 2020 offseason. He’ll undoubtedly have multiple suitors and a competitive market.
The Arizona Cardinals have a pressing need at outside receiver. Amari Cooper would be a home-run signing for the recently extended general manager Steve Keim. It’s a position the Cardinals have struggled to find stability dating back to Larry Fitzgerald’s prime. At 27 years old, a pairing of Cooper and DeAndre Hopkins would give the Cardinals an explosive offense capable of taking the team to new heights.
Cooper’s market value is projected around $17 million annually. It’s a tough ask with all the needs the Cardinals need to fill in one offseason. Still, with a backloaded contract similar to the deal J.J. Watt signed last year, it could work.
It’s also possible DeAndre Hopkins would re-work his own deal to accommodate Cooper. Last offseason, he alluded to a potential contract re-structure during his efforts to recruit former Falcons All-Pro Julio Jones.
Hopkins was pivotal in Arizona’s acquisition of both Watt and fellow wideout A.J. Green. He could once again prove invaluable in Arizona’s recruiting efforts this year.
Cooper has four 1,000-yard seasons and has primarily operated as the Raiders and Cowboys’ No. 1 receiver. While he did play alongside the emerging CeeDee Lamb last year, he has never played with another wideout like Hopkins in the NFL.
A.J. Green, despite his ups and downs, was able to put up more than 800 yards receiving in this offense. Amari Cooper’s production would explode, and the Cards would have one of the NFL’s premier wide receiver duos.
A viable contract for Cooper could be a three-year, $45 million deal with one voided year on the back end. He gets $16 million to sign and $4 million in salary in 2022, giving him the $20 million in cash he would have received had the Cowboys kept him. His cap hit would be $8 million in 2022.
The NFC West is the best division in football partially due to the wide receiver talent. The Rams have Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham. The 49ers have Deebo Samuel and George Kittle while the Seahawks boast D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. As of today, the Cardinals just don’t have that consistent second playmaker. They’ll need one to take the NFC West title that slipped through their fingers last January.
The Rams are all in. Are the Cardinals?
Just a reminder that #Cowboys WR Amari Cooper is really good. pic.twitter.com/8dODQz2mn6
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) February 2, 2021
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