Getty Dallas Cowboys WR Amari Cooper
While many were critical of the Dallas Cowboys for trading a first-round pick to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for Amari Cooper, it seems they had competition. As in, competition willing to fork over a similar type of compensation for the 24-year-old wideout.
As David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reveals, Cooper was nearly a member of the Tennessee Titans. The Titans were reportedly willing to meet the first-round demands of the Raiders, but one aspect made the Cowboys offer more appealing.
“Sources indicate the Titans were willing to meet the Raiders asking price of a first round pick for Cooper but wanted to flip draft positions with Oakland on the second day of the draft to soften the blow. The Cowboys were willing to trade a first round pick with no other conditions and acquired the receiver on Oct. 22, hours after a tough loss to division-leading Washington.”
It’s certainly eye-opening that something as small as a late-round swap could have changed where Cooper landed. Regardless, both teams have some issues at wide receiver currently, but the Cowboys have been searching for a way to replace the production lost when Dez Bryant was released.
Amari Cooper’s Outlook With Dallas Cowboys
Although the Cowboys will surely make Cooper a priority in the passing game, they’re still a run-first team and will lean heavily on Ezekiel Elliott. You could argue that the former Raiders receiver had a better opportunity to shine with his former team, but many have questioned how he was utilized there.
We’ll find out sooner than later how Cooper does with his new team. But one thing we know for certain is that the Cowboys expect to keep him for the long haul. That decision may ultimately wind up coming down to production, but they didn’t give up a first-round pick just to watch him leave town in the near future.