Amari Cooper, the wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, was released on Saturday. The deal came up with the Cleveland Browns, where they acquired the star in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
The four-time Pro-Bowl receiver was by far one of the greatest assets of the team. However, they seem to have released him in one go with some alternate plans for the future.
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Cowboys trade Amari Cooper to Browns: As a Cowboy fan, I will not miss him. As a Baker fan, I say he still needs a legit No.-1 receiver, especially on the road.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) March 12, 2022
Once referred to as the No 1 wide receiver, he is now sidelined as an underperforming player. To some extent, it is true, but no one can estimate his true potential given his records.
Amari Cooper: Once a wolf!
The star WR had a great beginning while he was drafted into the league. He was the first-round pick when he got hooked by the Oakland Raiders in 2015. In his three-year contract with the franchise, Cooper made 31 touchdowns, which gradually elated his valor in the NFL world. He also made it into the Pro-Bowl with 1,000+ yards in the first two seasons with the Oakland Raiders.
See a lot of discussion about whether Amari Cooper is a true #1 receiver and… it really doesn’t matter.
He’s an objectively better fit for the Stefanski offense than Landry and provides a different set of skills than Browns WRs have had for the last few years.
— Gage (@GageEHC) March 13, 2022
After his mesmerizing stint with the Raiders, Cowboys roped the star receiver in a 5-year contract for a whopping $100 million deal. Cooper stayed with the team for over three and a half years before getting traded to the Cleveland Browns.
“This could be potentially the last year for Baker Mayfield. You’ve got to give him a fighting chance.”@ColinCowherd approves of Amari Cooper to the Browns. pic.twitter.com/kyJY89bnjd
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) March 12, 2022
As soon as the new deal caught the media attention, some of his fans went on to support him while some criticized him for his underperformance.
Amari Cooper just got traded to a team where his career will slowly fade away to nothing. #FantasyFootball
— Jesse Cook (@the__wirer) March 12, 2022
I wrongly discounted the Browns as a player in the Amari Cooper trade market because of the optics after the OBJ trade
Kudos to Andrew Berry. Good decision makers shouldn’t factor in public perception into roster-building decisions
— Mike Renner (@PFF_Mike) March 12, 2022
Some of them even went on to the extent, asking him to purposely fail for the physicals.
Unless the Browns are getting Deshaun Watson, Amari Cooper needs to purposely fail his physical.
— Ahmed🇸🇴/Tana Talk 4 is a classic (@big_business_) March 12, 2022
During his initial days with the cowboys, Cooper played his prime and proved to be a valuable asset for the team. However, in the past season, his performance seemed quite deteriorating, which certainly became a matter of worry among his fans.
Salary dump a potential reason for Cooper’s fallout?
While the Cowboys have several reasons to exhibit Cooper’s withdrawal, a salary dump could be one of the most potential reasons to release him.
Also Read – Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Gives Brutal Verdict on WR Amari Cooper
According to reports, getting Cooper off the team just resulted in a $6 million cap hit. However, keeping him would have resulted in a $22 million cap hit, so trading him to the Browns helped the Cowboys free up $16 million in cap space. Certainly leaving an option for the team to gain players at a much cheaper price.
Amari Cooper is the #1 receiver the #Browns have been missing. Andrew Berry stole him from Dallas for a 5th round pick.
— Dean Schleicher (@DeanSchleicher) March 13, 2022
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One of the many reasons for his trade is also because of his deteriorating performance. Cooper was lacking to put up a fight and unable to lead the team towards the playoffs.
Also Read – Amari Cooper Set To Make $20 Million Even if Dallas Cowboys Decide to Cut Him
Similarly, in November 2021, Odell Beckham Jr, one of the most prominent receivers of his generation, was released by the Browns in search of a better receiver. However, fans are now criticizing their move by saying that Cooper is not a better option to fit in the role.
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Well, it just takes a matter of seconds to transform the situation. And hopefully, Cooper’s entry will make an impact on the Browns Super Bowl run this season.
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