Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper (89) celebrates a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. (Hector Amezcua/Sacramento Bee/TNS via Getty Images)
Another one bites the dust in Oakland as a team finally matched the Raiders’ asking price for Amari Cooper.
In a shocking move on Monday, the Dallas Cowboys have reportedly sent a first-round draft pick to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for talented wide receiver Amari Cooper. It was bound to happen after the Raiders put their star wide receiver on the market, but the asking price of a first-round pick was deemed ludicrous.
Apparently, Jerry Jones is the only guy in the league that was desperate enough to match that price. But when you look at the Cowboys receiver group, it all makes sense. Cole Beasley has been the best option for Dak Prescott, but aside from him, they have literally nobody of note.
This season, Cooper has 22 receptions on 32 targets, resulting in 280 yards. After posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in his first two years in the league, Cooper has disappeared for the Raiders. Last year, in what was a horrible season all around, he only managed 680 yards. This season he is only on pace for 747 yards, is that kind of production worth a first-round pick?
Obviously the potential is there and he is only 24 years old just entering the prime of his career. But with how bad the Cowboys offense has been through the first seven weeks, if Cooper really enough to solve those issues? That remains to be seen, but it seems unlikely.
The Raiders got what they asked for and have to be ecstatic with the trade, but for the Cowboys, the move is perplexing to say the least.