Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper is expected to either be traded or released by the team soon, as they are currently fielding offers from others in an effort to get something for him rather than nothing. The big question is, where will Cooper ultimately land after the Cowboys trade or release him?
The two leading candidates to acquire Cooper are the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, according to online sportsbook Bovada. The Patriots and Eagles are both listed at +225 (bet $100 to win $225), with each team desperate for a No. 1 wide receiver to help their respective young quarterbacks.
In addition to New England and Philadelphia, the New York Jets (+500), Detroit Lions (+700), Jacksonville Jaguars (+800) and Cleveland Browns (+1000) are also possibilities for Cooper. Of that group, the Browns might be the best option considering they have a veteran quarterback in Baker Mayfield who no longer has Odell Beckham Jr. as a target along with a solid defense.
Dallas had inked the 27-year-old former first-round draft pick to a five-year, $100 million contract extension after acquiring him from the Oakland Raiders in 2018. However, the Cowboys are looking to shed salaries, and Cooper’s is one of their biggest even though they restructured the contracts of quarterback Dak Prescott and offensive guard Zack Martin on Monday to save money.
Don’t expect news on Amari Cooper until we get closer to the 5th day of the league year? Why? I’m told the #Cowboys have been fielding some calls. Advantage for teams? You don’t battle for him on open market. They get to redo the deal and can spread money out via signing bonus.
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) March 9, 2022
Will Amari Stay in Big D?
Lost in the shuffle about where Cooper will play next season is that he may not actually go anywhere else. Dallas could cut him and resign him to a more cap-friendly contract. Or the Cowboys could restructure his current deal like they did with Prescott and Martin, although that would require a bit more work.
Dallas is surprisingly the +240 third choice on the betting board to have Cooper on the team’s roster for Game 1 of the 2022 NFL season. Keep in mind, the Cowboys would also be in need of a No. 1 receiver without him, so why not hold onto him?
