Cowboys WR Amari Cooper Generating Trade Interest
Amari Cooper may not hit free agency after all. Clarence Hill Jr. of the Dallas Star-Telegram reports (via Twitter) that there is a “real trade market” for the wide receiver. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweets that five teams have discussed Cooper’s availability “in a potential trade or release.”
This runs counter to what we heard earlier this week. While the Cowboys were “likely” to release the receiver, they were still hoping to trade him…but there were reports indicating that the Cowboys weren’t receiving a whole lot of interest. One team source cited Cooper’s hefty contract, which runs through 2024 and carries a $22MM cap number for this season, as the main reason why they wouldn’t deal for him.
However, today’s report indicates that teams may be rethinking their stance. Cooper’s contract does provide some year-to-year flexibility; if an organization is wiling to tolerate his $20MM salary in 2022, they could move on from him in 2023 with just a $4MM cap hit to show for it. The receiver inked a five-year, $100MM contract with the Cowboys in 2020.
Teams also might be wary of their ability to attract Cooper if he does indeed hit free agency. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the veteran receiver may want to return home to Miami and play for the Dolphins if the opportunity presents itself. So, if another team has Cooper high on their list, their only option may be to acquire him via trade.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/11/22
Here are today’s minor roster moves around the NFL:
Chicago Bears
- Assigned from waivers: RB Darrynton Evans
Cincinnati Bengals
- Re-Signed: LB Joe Bachie
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: WR Robert Foster
- Waived: CB Reggie Robinson and RB Ito Smith
Houston Texans
- Re-Signed: QB Jeff Driskel and OL Carson Green
Las Vegas Raiders
- Re-Signed: OT Jackson Barton
New York Giants
- Waived: TE Kaden Smith
- Re-Signed: WR David Sills
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-Signed: S Miles Killebrew
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-Signed: LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
Cowboys Cut Greg Zuerlein, Blake Jarwin
The Cowboys continue to make cost-cutting moves. They are saying goodbye to their kicker and one of their tight ends, releasing Greg Zuerlein and waiving Blake Jarwin with an injury designation. The team announced the moves.
One year remained on Zuerlein’s $7.5MM deal; this move will create just more than $2MM in cap space for the Cowboys. Jarwin is eligible for injury protection, but cutting him will add a bit to Dallas’ cap space as well. The Cowboys waived Jarwin with an injury designation.
Jarwin, who signed an extension to stay in Dallas in 2020, underwent a hip surgery that has his 2022 availability in question. The six-year veteran has missed 24 games since signing that four-year, $22MM deal. Jarwin tore an ACL in September 2020 and encountered this hip trouble last season. During that span, Dalton Schultz has taken over as the Cowboys’ primary tight end. The Cowboys franchise-tagged Schultz this week.
Zuerlein, 34, has managed to stick around in the NFL for 10 seasons, coming into the league from a Division II school and playing eight years with the Rams. He struggled in 2021, missing a career-high six extra points. While the strong-legged specialist will likely have another opportunity, he will need to find a third NFL team to continue his career.
DeMarcus Lawrence Declines Cowboys’ Pay-Cut Request
FRIDAY: It appears the Cowboys asked for a hefty pay cut. They approached Lawrence about trimming his 2022 base salary from $19MM to $10MM, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports notes. Lawrence nearly halving his salary would be difficult to envision, despite his injury-altered 2021 season. With free agency less than a week away, the Cowboys will need to make a call here. Progress between the sides has proven elusive, and the Cowboys may be prepared to stand down and keep Lawrence on his present salary, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets.
MONDAY: The Cowboys’ DeMarcus Lawrence extension has not produced the kind of production he provided on his rookie contract or as a franchise-tagged player in 2018. Lawrence missed much of last season due to a broken foot, and the Cowboys will be forced into a decision on the veteran edge rusher soon.
Dallas requested Lawrence take a pay cut, but Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports the eight-year vet declined. Pay-cut requests often precede releases. The Cowboys would save $19MM by designating Lawrence a post-June 1 cut. While the team could make the cut at any point, it would not realize the savings until after that date.
[RELATED: Cowboys Likely To Release Amari Cooper]
Lawrence, 30 in April, is coming off a three-sack season. He has not totaled more than seven sacks in a season since 2018 but has helped teammates’ sack totals, as evidenced by Robert Quinn‘s bounce-back year in 2019. Lawrence wants to stay in Dallas, per Watkins, and cutting him would run the risk of the team losing both its edge starters.
The Cowboys are not planning to use their franchise tag on Randy Gregory, Watkins tweets. That is not surprising, given Gregory’s suspension history and the D-end tag checking in at $17.9MM. The Cowboys’ loyalty to Gregory during his hiatuses will surely factor into his free agency decision, but the talented pass rusher hitting the market obviously runs the risk of a defection. That complicates Dallas’ Lawrence decision.
Jerry Jones followed through with cutting DeMarcus Ware after requesting a pay cut in 2014. Ware went on to form an elite edge-rushing duo with Von Miller in Denver, doing so as Lawrence struggled to start his career. Lawrence found his footing by 2017, combining for 25 sacks over the next two seasons. The Cowboys tagged him twice but reached a five-year, $105MM extension soon after. Lawrence carries the Cowboys’ second-highest base salary in 2022.
Cowboys Interested In Bobby Wagner?
Since his Seahawks release, Bobby Wagner has been connected to the rest of the NFC West’s franchises. A reunion with Dan Quinn may or may not be on the table.
The Cowboys have contacted Wagner about reuniting with Quinn, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. While the team is uncertain about this working out financially, interest exists here. Quinn worked as Seattle’s DC during the team’s two Super Bowl seasons, which saw Wagner begin his eight-year run of Pro Bowl honors.
The future Hall of Fame middle linebacker also might price himself out of Dallas’ market, with Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram adding (via Twitter) the the Cowboys are not expected to end up with Wagner due to financial constraints. They may not be especially interested. The Cowboys are expected to sit this one out, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News adds (on Twitter).
As of Friday afternoon, the Cowboys remain over the cap by around $1MM. The Cowboys are not discussing terms with Wagner yet, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson, who adds (on Twitter) the team views Wagner as a fit. He would play alongside Defensive Rookie of the Year Micah Parsons, which would be quite the tandem on the Cowboys’ defensive second level. Leighton Vander Esch is a free agent.
Dallas is expected to cut or trade Amari Cooper, though he remains with the team, and has asked DeMarcus Lawrence to take a pay cut. They have also discussed La’el Collins with teams. Dallas also needs a chunk of cash for Dalton Schultz‘s franchise tag, which became official earlier this week.
Wagner, 31, has been connected to the Cardinals, Rams and 49ers thus far. More teams are likely monitoring this situation, given Wagner’s accomplishments. The more teams connected to the six-time All-Pro will only up the price for one of the most decorated street free agents in modern NFL history.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/10/22
The deadline for teams to extend tender offers to their restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents looms next week. We’ll keep tabs on the latest here:
RFAs
Non-tendered:
- Commandeers: QB Kyle Allen
- Cowboys: LB Francis Bernard, OL Mitch Hyatt
- Raiders: FB Alec Ingold
- Rams: LB Troy Reeder
- Ravens: CB Khalil Dorsey
Cowboys Discussing La’el Collins Trade
The Cowboys are engaged in active trade talks involving tackle La’el Collins (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Collins, who is due $10MM in 2022, has drawn interest from multiple teams, RapSheet hears. 
[RELATED: Latest On Cowboys’ Lawrence]
Pro Football Focus graded Collins as one of the NFL’s best right tackles in 2019. After that, he missed 21 of his next 22 possible games. First came the hip injury which wiped out his 2020 season. Then, in 2021, Collins missed time with a neck injury and a five-game suspension. According to the NFL, Collins attempted to bribe a drug test official last year.
Collins came back in the fall, first as a left guard before moving back to the outside. From a football perspective, Collins’ contract is a bargain — he’s locked in through 2024 at $10MM/year. The going rate for tackles of his caliber and age group (29) is significantly higher.
On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys are hoping that DeMarcus Lawrence will agree to a pay cut. Currently, the edge rusher is scheduled to earn $17MM in base salary for 2022. If they drop the rest of his five-year, $100MM+ extension and use the post-June 1 designation, they can carve out $19MM in cap room for the coming year.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/9/22
The deadline for teams to extend tender offers to their restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents looms next week. We’ll keep tabs on the latest here:
RFAs
Non-tendered:
- Cowboys: LB Luke Gifford
- Ravens: CB Chris Westry
- Titans: DE Derick Roberson
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Cardinals: RB Jonathan Ward, WR Antoine Wesley
- Lions: LS Scott Daly, P Jack Fox, CB Mark Gilbert, S JuJu Hughes, RB Godwin Igwebuike, WR Tom Kennedy, G Tommy Kraemer, OLB Jessie Lemonier, T Matt Nelson, K Riley Patterson, LB Anthony Pittman, CB Bobby Price, TE Brock Wright
- Raiders: TE Nick Bowers
- Ravens: C Trystan Colon-Castillo, QB Tyler Huntley, LS Nick Moore, S Geno Stone, LB Kristian Welch, RB Ty’Son Williams
Latest On Cowboys’ DeMarcus Lawrence
Recently, DeMarcus Lawrence declined the Cowboys’ request for a pay cut. Now, with days to go before the start of the new league year, there’s been zero progress on that front, according to Jane Slater of NFL.com (on Twitter). On the plus side, Slater hears that the Cowboys are making headway on a new deal with wide receiver Michael Gallup. 
[RELATED: Cowboys Hope To Re-Sign Wilson]
Lawrence, 30 in April, earned a five-year, $100MM+ extension following consecutive seasons with double digit sacks. Unfortunately, he hasn’t topped seven sacks since 2018 and he missed much of 2021 with a foot fracture.
The Cowboys could conceivably cut Lawrence and save $19MM if they use the post-June 1 designation. Meanwhile, they also have to consider Randy Gregory, who is out of contract. Releasing Lawrence and losing Gregory to free agency would leave the Cowboys without both of their incumbent starting edge rushers. The Cowboys could have used the franchise tag on Gregory — they chose to cuff tight end Dalton Schultz instead on Wednesday.
As it stands, Lawrence is set to earn $17MM in base salary this year. That’s the second-highest sum of anyone on the Cowboys, behind franchise quarterback Dak Prescott.
The Gallup deal — which seemed to be nearly finished last week — will reportedly pay the wide receiver upwards of $10MM per year. The Cowboys are aiming for a five-year pact, but it’s possible that Gallup’s camp is pushing for a shorter arrangement.
Cowboys Hopeful To Re-Sign Cedrick Wilson; Could Bring Back Anthony Hitchens?
There are lots of moving parts with the Cowboys’ plans right now. Even with the moves made to shed salary and push some cap charges down the road, finances will be tight for any further deals. As a result, wide receiver Cedrick Wilson is likely to at least hit the open market. 
[RELATED: Cowboys Re-Sign Noah Brown]
The 26-year-old saw a much bigger role in 2021, and certainly took advantage of it. He posted 45 catches for 602 yards and six touchdowns, all career-highs. For that reason, Clarence Hill Jr. of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that the Cowboys “believe they will be priced out” of his market (Twitter link).
There is still interest on Dallas’ part for a return, however. Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News tweets that the Cowboys want to bring him back, but that they will “want to see” what kind of market develops. With CeeDee Lamb under contract, a new deal with Michael Gallup reportedly close and tight end Dalton Schultz having been franchise tagged earlier today, a core group of pass-catchers is already in place in Dallas.
Watkins also reports that Hitchens “has a desire to return” to Dallas after his four-year stint in Kansas City. The 29-year-old was released by the Chiefs in a cost-cutting move, and a signal of their linebacking corps’ potential. Hitchens still played 60% of defensive snaps last season, more than he did in three of his four years with the Cowboys. His return would give the team an experienced, productive presence in the middle of the defense to pair with Micah Parsons. On the other hand, LB could be a draft target in April.
While much has been taken care of regarding the Cowboys’ big-name priorities in recent days, they face several other important decisions.