Jerry Jones opens up about Cowboys' decision to trade star wideout Amari Cooper to Browns
The Dallas Cowboys had to face some tough decisions this offseason, including having to choose between keeping wide receiver Amari Cooper or Michael Gallup.
As we now know, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys chose to send Cooper's large contract to the Cleveland Browns in favor of re-signing Gallup.
Jerry Jones hasn't said much since the trade took place, but he did comment on the matter while attending the NFL's annual league meeting on Monday. Jones stated:
"We made a decision that that allocation should be better spent. You've got to be judicious how you add a top-10 paid player...We made every effort to do as well as we can do with the trade."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on not returning WR Amari Cooper, who was due a $20M salary with $22M cap hit unless team restructured him: “We made a decision that that allocation should be better spent.”
Jones explained that Cooper's 2021 salary of $20 million was too much for the team to shoulder at the time. In return for the star receiver, the Cowboys received a 2022 fifth-round pick and swapped 2022 sixth-round picks with Cleveland.
Back in 2018, Dallas traded a first-round pick to acquire Cooper from the Raiders. His large cap hit kept them from getting back anything more than a fifth-round pick in the trade.
CeeDee Lamb, the Cowboys' new first option at wide receiver, is bound to earn himself a contract similar to Cooper's. After the team traded their top receiver, Lamb and his agent might be weary about signing a long-term deal.
As for Michael Gallup, after signing his extension, Jerry Jones can't guarantee that he will be 100% by Week One.
"I expect him togive us a question mark around the first game. And I see a converstion that says conservatively, you would like o have a couple more games to get him out there."
Dallas Cowboys core of receivers after Amari Cooper trade
Losing Amari Cooper now leaves a void on the depth chart, even with CeeDee Lamb taking over as the top receiver.
The starting lineup currently consists of Lamb, Michael Gallup and James Washington. Washington signed with Dallas in free agency after being misused by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He's shown flashes of potential, but was never used consistently enough to discern his true NFL potential. With Dallas' offense, he will have an opportunity to prove himself, especially with the current depth.
Cowboys introductions: New WR James Washington has more Michael Gallup to his game than Cedrick Wilson. Ability to stretch field, high-point passes can mitigate absence if Gallup (ACL) not ready Week 1. Also has the slot experience Gallup is developing. https://t.co/fz8aAsVVmV
Noah Brown, Simi Fehoko, TJ Vasher and Brandon Smith round out the rest of the depth chart. Brown had 25 catches for 184 yards in 2021. Fehoko only played in five games last year with zero stats as a rookie.
Vasher went undrafted last season and spent the season on the reserve list. Smith was another rookie who saw no action in 2021.
That means the team's backups have a total of 25 catches from last season, all from Brown. Dallas went heavy on defensive players in last year's draft and would be wise to focus more on building their offensive depth this year.