Every year it seems some big-time names in the NFL are associated with trade rumors around this time of the offseason and that’s once again the case in 2022. It especially seems to be the case at a position of need for the Jacksonville Jaguars: receiver.
Names like DK Metcalf and Calvin Ridley have been thrown out there for a while and the rumors will only heat up as the NFL Combine is coming up next week. However, another name that has recently popped up is that of Dallas Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper, who the team is rumored not to be satisfied with after he signed a five-year, $100 million deal in March of 2020.
For this reason, many believe the 2021 season may have been the last for Cooper as a Cowboy, and many analysts have started looking for potential fits for him. That was the case for Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus, who listed a Cooper trade to the Jags as one he believes makes sense.
Dallas Cowboys trade Amari Cooper to the Jacksonville Jaguars
- Terms: Jaguars send 2022 2nd, 2022 5th
- Cowboys dead money: $6M
- Jaguars inherited contract: Three years, $60M, $20M total guaranteed
It’s no secret Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is unhappy with how the 2021 season unfolded, and that frustration certainly extends to No. 1 wide receiver Amari Cooper, whose 73.9 receiving grade, 68 receptions and 865 receiving yards are all his lowest marks since 2017.
Cooper’s five-year, $100 million extension signed with the Cowboys in 2020 was structured in a way that creates a clean exit opportunity this offseason, and perhaps Dallas gets out from the deal and focuses its efforts on retaining wide receiver Michael Gallup and tight end Dalton Schultz, with an eventual huge extension for wide receiver CeeDee Lamb also on the horizon.
If the Jags believe that an offensive mind like Doug Pederson can get Cooper back to Pro Bowl form, this is a deal the Jags should jump on without hesitation. As a four-time Pro Bowler with 517 receptions for 7,076 receiving yards and 46 touchdowns to his name, Cooper would easily be the top receiver on the roster. In fact, he’d be the most accomplished receiver they’ve had since Jimmy Smith in the eyes of some.
It was clear as day that the Jags needed help around Trevor Lawrence this past season, and landing a talent of Cooper’s magnitude would certainly put a smile on his face. And while they would still need another skill weapon or two and some help on the offensive line, they would be left with three draft picks in the top-3 rounds still if they went by Spielberger’s terms.
The Jags have just under a projected amount of $60 million set to be available in cap space this offseason and need to take advantage of the window provided by Lawrence’s rookie contract. However, time will tell if the Cowboys make the tough decision to let Cooper go, but if they do, the Jags should be a team they call and see if there is interest.