Jerry Jones reveals real reason why Cowboys traded Amari Cooper to the Browns
Dallas Cowboys team owner and general manager Jerry Jones made the decision to trade wide receiver Amari Cooper this past March. Cooper was traded to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for fifth and sixth-round draft picks.
In the Cowboys' first two games of the 2022 NFL season, Cooper's absence has been notable.
While making an appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Jerry Jones talked about the trade and the reasoning behind it. He said that Cooper's contract was the main reason behind trading the talented wide receiver.
He went on to say that Cooper is a very good player and that what he does on the field isn't the reasoning behind trading him.
“The issue with Amari Cooper was how much we were paying him, and what we could do with that money. Completely. Amari Cooper is a real good player. Top player.”
Jerry Jones on @1053thefan: “The issue with Amari Cooper was how much we were paying him, and what we could do with that money. Completely. Amari Cooper is a real good player. Top player.”
Jerry Jones then mentioned wanting a better o-line/pass rush, “You can’t have it all.”
If Amari Cooper had played with the Cowboys this season, they would have had to pay him $20 million. Since Jones made the trade, they took just a $6 million hit in the dead salary cap space.
The Browns then restructured Cooper's salary to allow room for their own salary cap space. This is something that the Cowboys could have done as well. But it seems that Jones didn't want the wide receiver's salary on the books for years to come.
Jones also said that by freeing up salary cap space, he was able to make improvements to two key parts of the roster. The offensive line and the pass rush is where the Cowboys need to spend most of their money in the future.
In terms of adding to the other parts of the roster while having a highly talented wide receiver, Jones simply said that he couldn't have everything.
“You can’t have it all.”
Jerry Jones said that he wants a QB competition
Jerry Jones has been adamant that Dak Prescott is the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. He even signed the quarterback to a four-year deal worth $160 million last year, proving that he is sticking with him.
Jerry Jones leaves door open for QB competition if Cooper Rush plays well enough audacy.com/kfh/sports/jon…
After Prescott injured his thumb in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, backup quarterback Cooper Rush has taken over the starting role. Rush was able to lead the Cowboys to a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday.
While everyone believed that Rush would return as the backup quarterback once Prescott returns in a few weeks, Jerry Jones wasn't definitive. According to Jon Machota, the Dallas Cowboys team owner would welcome a quarterback competition.
He said that if Cooper Rush was able to keep the Cowboys in contention and win, he would consider it.
"Of course I would. Of course, that means we’ve won. If he comes in and plays as well as Prescott plays—if Rush played that well over these next games ahead, I’d walk to New York to get that.”
That news clearly shocked everyone as Rush is only playing because Prescott is injured. Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said on Friday that there is no competition and that Dak Prescott will remain the starter when he returns.
“Clearly, to everybody in our locker room and everybody in the building, Jerry included, Dak is our quarterback."
Jerry Jones has been known to stir things up in the past, but perhaps insinuating a quarterback competition may have gone a bit too far this time.