Getty Dallas Cowboys WR Amari Cooper
It’s unlikely the bulk of Amari Cooper’s former Oakland Raiders teammates witnessed the scene after the trade was finalized. But for one fellow wide receiver, he witnessed it up close and personal. The news of Cooper being dealt to the Dallas Cowboys came Monday afternoon, and it apparently happened while the Raiders were on the practice field.
Although Cooper wasn’t participating in practice due to a concussion he suffered in Week 6, he was reportedly on the field when the trade was finalized. And as Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal revealed, Raiders wideout Brandon LaFell was in the midst of joking with Cooper when his teammate was pulled.
“I was messing with him about the concussion he had in London,” LaFell said. “I was asking, ‘You know we’re back on U.S. soil, right? It’s Monday, not Sunday in London.’ I was joking, and they came and pulled him.”
It had to be eye-opening for LaFell, but unfortunately, it may not be the last time he or other Raiders players see this scene unfold. With the October 30 trade deadline rapidly approaching, Gehlken stated safety Karl Joseph is “expected to complete the trio and be moved.”
Raiders Undergoing Full-Blown Rebuild
As much as Raiders coach Jon Gruden may want to deny it, the team is now fully set to embrace a rebuild. After the trade sending Cooper out of town happened, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen revealed the coach said he’s “trying to stay competitive.”
When I mentioned Derek Carr, Gruden was quick and to the point: “We’re not trading anyone else. We’re trying to stay competitive and figure out a way to compete this next game (against the Colts.” #Raiders
Unfortunately, no one really believes much from Gruden at this point. These comments come just days after the coach said he wasn’t shopping Cooper or looking to trade him. Tack on the fact that Gruden spoke to Mortensen about his excitement over the team’s plethora of draft picks, and it’s safe to assume he’s eyeing the future.
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