Amari Cooper was traded to the Cleveland Browns, one of the most significant moves made by the Dallas Cowboys in the offseason. The veteran wideout ran for at least 100 yards in Thursday’s game and scored a touchdown.
Jerry Jones, Cowboys owner, spoke out about the decision to trade Cooper during Friday’s 105.3 The Fan appearance. He stated that Cooper’s salary was too high and the move was taken to make it more affordable.
“The issue with Amari Cooper was how much we were paying him, and what we could do with that money,” Jones said. “Completely. Amari Cooper is a real good player. Top player.”
Jones said that Dallas needs a better offensive and pass rush. He added, “You can’t have everything.”
Jerry Jones on @1053thefan: “The issue with Amari Cooper was how much we were paying him, and what we could do with that money. Completely. Amari Cooper is a real good player. Top player.”
Jerry Jones then mentioned wanting a better o-line/pass rush, “You can’t have it all.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 23, 2022
Logistically, it makes sense to trade away Cooper in order to gain cap space. The Cowboys did not do anything with the money.
Current cap space for the Cowboys is more than $12 million. Cooper has been a problem for the offense.
CeeDee Lamb took over the No. 1 spot after Cooper left. The depth chart is at No. 1. He has not been able to achieve much separation so far. Maybe Michael Gallup’s return will ease that pressure.
Cooper’s great games in Cleveland are a reminder of Dallas’s lack of value as a player with his skill set.