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The latest Dallas Cowboys rumors reveal that one of the team’s former stars may be on the move. The Cowboys’ offense has not quite been the same since the team opted to trade Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns in 2022.
Dallas could have an opportunity for a reunion if Cooper becomes a cap casualty this upcoming offseason. ESPN’s Dan Graziano labeled Cooper among his potential surprise cut/trade candidates heading into 2024.
“Could they [Browns] extend Cooper to knock his cap number down and keep him? Sure. He has been a very good player for them — he was 12th in receiving last season with 1,160 yards, and he has 478 in seven games this season — and there’s no reason other than money and age to even think about it,” Graziano noted on November 3, 2023.
“But when you’re paying your quarterback $46 million per season fully guaranteed and can barely get him on the field, you end up having to confront some tough choices elsewhere on your roster. The Browns project to be tight to the cap in 2024, and there’s no moving on from Deshaun Watson.”
Browns Star Amari Cooper Signed a 5-Year, $100 Million Contract With the Cowboys in 2020
Cooper signed a five-year, $100 million deal with the Cowboys in 2020. The former Pro Bowler is slated to enter the final season of his contract in 2024 with a $20 million salary along with a $23 million cap hit.
While CeeDee Lamb has emerged as the Cowboys’ legitimate WR1 in Cooper’s absence, the team has struggled to find a consistent second wideout. Through the first seven games of 2022, Cooper has 30 receptions for 478 yards and one touchdown.
Cooper has topped 1,000 receiving yards in three of the last four seasons. The four-time Pro Bowler notched 78 catches for 1,160 yards and nine touchdowns in 17 starts last season.
Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Labeled CeeDee Lamb an Upgrade Over Amari Cooper
Things turned personal as Dallas opted to trade Cooper for a 2022 pick swap. The Cowboys received a fifth-rounder from the Browns in the deal in exchange for a sixth-round pick.
“Owner Jerry Jones, however, doesn’t believe the team will take a step back at the top of the group,” Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill wrote on May 26, 2022. “Jones told the Star-Telegram that CeeDee Lamb will be an upgrade over Cooper as a true No. 1 receiver in the Cowboys offense.
“Jones said he was trying to slight Cooper, whom the team traded in March in part because his production didn’t match his $20 million practice tag. But Jones acknowledged Cooper had his issues and that Lamb has the makings of more a complete No. 1 receiver in ‘production, in the huddle and off the field.’”
Cowboys Rumors: Could Dallas Cut Michael Gallup & Sign Amari Cooper?
If Cooper does become a cap casualty in Cleveland, could Dallas look to patch things up with the team’s former wideout? The Cowboys essentially chose to re-sign Michael Gallup to a $57 million contract extension over retaining Cooper.
This move backfired with Gallup struggling to look the same since sustaining an ACL injury in 2022. Dallas does have an out in Gallup’s deal this upcoming offseason but would take a $13 million dead cap hit by releasing the veteran.
Bringing Cooper back to the offense may just be worth making the move if the star becomes available. If the Browns release Cooper, fans can expect the Cowboys rumors to heat up.
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