With the news that the Cowboys are expected to release Amari Cooper this offseason, many Cowboys fans are asking: why can’t they cut Ezekiel Elliott instead?
That’s because cutting Elliott would cripple the team even more than keeping him would.
Releasing Elliott would cost the Cowboys $30 million in dead money, and Dallas would actually lose over $11 million in cap space.
On the other hand, cutting Cooper only costs Dallas $6 million in dead money, while keeping Cooper would cost Dallas $22 million in cap space. Cutting Cooper allows the Cowboys to gain $16 million in cap space.
While the Cowboys may try to trade Cooper before releasing him, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that is “not likely” since his salary is so high.
The Cowboys have seemingly decided to sacrifice Cooper to keep multiple other players. According to Yahoo’s Charles Robinson, the money saved by losing Cooper could allow Dallas to potentially keep Michael Gallup, Dalton Schultz, Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Randy Gregory long term.
And when it comes to Elliott, the Cowboys have made it clear that they are happy to have him as part of the team and don’t want to move on.
“I want that guy on my team,” Stephen Jones said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “You talk about playing through some injuries. He’s a competitor. I think he’s a damn good running back. … Obviously, his money is guaranteed. He’s going to be here, there’s no question. We’re fortunate to have him.”
So, it is very likely that the Cowboys will move forward with Elliott and without Cooper.
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