Cowboys Planning Amari Cooper Extension
One more full season remains on Amari Cooper‘s contract, his guaranteed-for-injury 2019 fifth-year option, but the Cowboys didn’t trade a first-round pick for a player without a potential long-term future with the team. They are planning a Cooper extension.
“In general, we believe we’re going to sign Amari to an extension,” Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said during an interview on 105.3 The Fan (via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). “That goes without saying. We feel like he was worth the No. 1, and I think part of making it worth it is that we eventually sign him to an extension.”
Jones added the Cowboys wouldn’t have made the trade if Cooper was merely a rental commodity. The 24-year-old wideout is due $13.9MM next year. An extension could bring that figure down and potentially add to Dallas’ $54MM in 2019 cap space, but when the team made the deal with Oakland, an extension didn’t seem imminent just yet.
Cooper has not been the same player he was during the 2015-16 seasons. He finished last season with 680 receiving yards in 14 games; his 48.6 yards per game were nearly 25 yards down from his 2016 average. He caught two or fewer passes in four of his six Raiders games this season. The former No. 5 overall pick came to Dallas understanding he doesn’t have the leverage to command a top-market re-up, and the Cowboys were believed to be fine with waiting on an extension. It appears they’re being more aggressive on this front now.
Of course, the Cowboys planning an extension doesn’t necessarily mean the team and Cooper are close on terms. With wideout contracts exploding in 2018 — 13 WRs now make more than $14MM per year on average, and seven of those deals were finalized this year — Cooper may view himself as closer to that group than the Cowboys do. Dallas trading a first-round pick for him may only further embolden the receiver’s camp.
How Cooper performs down the stretch of this season will be critical to setting a price point, but the sides may be in for a long-term partnership.
Titans Were Willing To Trade First-Rounder For Amari Cooper?
The Cowboys’ decision to give the Raiders a first-round pick for Amari Cooper has brought criticism, considering Dallas’ 3-4 record and Cooper’s inconsistency. But their Monday night opponent may have viewed the former top-five pick in a similar light.
The Titans were also willing to part with a first-round pick to acquire Cooper, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports. A Tennessee-proposed caveat may have scuttled a Cooper-to-Nashville path, however.
While the Cowboys landed Cooper for a first-round pick, the Titans wanted to swap Day 2 draft slots with the Raiders to soften the blow of losing a Round 1 choice, Moore adds. It’s unclear if this means flipping both second- and third-round selections, but the Titans look to have wanted something from the Raiders the Cowboys didn’t.
Cooper will debut for the Cowboys against the Titans tonight after arriving during Dallas’ bye week. The Titans (3-4) have also struggled in recent weeks and are hurting for pass-catcher depth. They lost Delanie Walker and enter tonight’s game with the NFL’s 30th-ranked passing attack. Corey Davis‘ 395 receiving yards lead the team. Tajae Sharpe‘s 222 yards are second. Marcus Mariota has only thrown three touchdown passes.
The Eagles, Colts and Redskins were also believed to be interested in Cooper, and the crowded market benefited a Raiders team that now holds three 2019 first-round picks.
Poll: Which Sub-.500 Team Has Best Chance To Make Playoffs?
With the trade deadline having passed, teams have a better idea what everyone’s optimal stretch-run lineups will look like. A handful of dominant teams have surfaced, and several second-tier contenders are present as well.
But what about possible late-blooming teams? Multiple squads picked by many to advance to the playoffs are under .500. Which teams will the second-tier contenders have to worry about in the second half?
The obvious place to start is the AFC South, where a once-0-3 team is in front. The Texans entered the season with the best Las Vegas playoff odds and are living up to the hype. They’re a major threat to become the first 0-3 team to make the playoffs since the 1998 Bills. The division’s other three teams have three wins, hovering behind the Chargers, Bengals and Ravens in the AFC wild-card race.
Jacksonville’s decision to retain and extend Blake Bortles is backfiring, but the team still offers one of the best defensive outlooks in the game. However, the defending division champs have lost four straight and still have the Texans, Steelers and Redskins on the schedule.
Indianapolis won two straight going into its bye, has a three-game homestand on tap, and one winning team remains on its schedule. Featuring Andrew Luck (23 TD passes, second in the NFL) and an improved front — headlined by the first guard to win an a rookie of the month award in Quenton Nelson — Indy’s offense ranks sixth in scoring (28.9 points per game). Tennessee’s only 3-4 but may be in more trouble, having lost three straight and sporting the No. 30 passing attack. Marcus Mariota‘s thrown just three touchdown passes this season; the Titans have games against the Patriots, Texans and Redskins left.
Shifting to the NFC South, can the Falcons overcome their litany of defensive injuries and crawl back into the race? At 3-4, Atlanta is one game out of the NFC’s second wild-card spot, and Matt Ryan is on pace to surpass 5,000 yards in a re-established aerial attack. But the Falcons’ defense sits 31st in DVOA, though Deion Jones is on the way back, and their ground game ranks 30th. Atlanta also has six road games remaining.
The Buccaneers may be headed toward a postseason house-cleaning, with Dirk Koetter (and probably Jason Licht) back on the hot seat and Jameis Winston benched. Can Fitzmagic and a deep pass-catcher arsenal save Tampa Bay or at least stave off another bleak second half?
In trading a first-round pick for Amari Cooper, the Cowboys certainly believe they’re a stealth contender. At 3-4 and behind both the Redskins and Eagles in the NFC East, the Cowboys defied conventional wisdom and gave up what could be a top-12 pick for an inconsistent wide receiver. While Dallas carries the No. 11 DVOA defense, its offense (25th) hasn’t clicked. That said, the team’s lost its past two road games — against division leaders Houston and Washington — by six combined points. If the Cowboys can’t pull this off, might it finally be the end of the line for Jason Garrett? Jerry Jones said he’s not considering an extension for the signed-through-2019 HC.
The Jets were not expected to make the playoffs, have lost two straight and still have two Patriots games left. More was expected of the Broncos, whose post-Super Bowl 50 trajectory represents a prime modern example of the quarterback position’s importance. Although they quietly are DVOA’s No. 7 team, the Broncos are 2-10 in Vance Joseph-coached road games and have five remaining games against winning teams. Those will come after the team made a seller’s trade in unloading Demaryius Thomas. The Lions, too, sold a key asset and appear to be playing for the future. However, they’re still only one game out of the NFC North lead.
So, who has the best chance of re-routing their season into a playoff bracket? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
Which sub-.500 team has the best chance to make the playoffs?
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Atlanta Falcons 29% (523)
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Dallas Cowboys 23% (424)
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Jacksonville Jaguars 12% (219)
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Indianapolis Colts 11% (202)
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Detroit Lions 8% (139)
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Tennessee Titans 6% (103)
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Denver Broncos 4% (64)
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Another team 3% (62)
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New York Jets 3% (52)
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2% (31)
Total votes: 1,819
Cowboys’ David Irving Suffers Injury
Cowboys defensive tackle David Irving says he will not play Monday night due to a high ankle sprain (Twitter link via Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram). He added that the injury could sideline him for up to four weeks. 
Irving went down in practice on Thursday and tests confirmed that he’ll need a substantial amount of time to heal. It’s a frustrating development for the 25-year-old, who already missed the first four games while serving a suspension and a fifth game while addressing personal issues. So far this year, Irving has only suited up for games against the Jaguars and Redskins, and he could be looking at a half-season of activity when all is said and done.
Of course, this is a key year for Irving as he is slated to hit unrestricted free agency after the season. Last year, after being moved to defensive tackle full-time, Irving showed his potential by finishing with a career-high seven sacks.
So far, Irving has four total tackles on the year including one sack which he recorded in the third quarter against Washington on Oct. 21.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/1/18
Today’s practice squad updates:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: QB Kyle Allen
- Released: S Dezmen Southward
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Reggie Davis
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Jerome Cunningham
- Placed on injured list: LB Garret Dooley
Green Bay Packers
- Released: FB Joe Kerridge
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: T Antonio Garcia
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Victor Bolden, DB Greg Mabin
- Released: WR Aaron Burbridge
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DB Jason Thompson
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/1/18
Today’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted from practice squad: S Treston Decoud
Oakland Raiders
- Claimed off waivers: T David Sharpe
Cowboys Fire OL Coach Paul Alexander
After the Cowboys’ slow start, there was speculation about the job security of Jason Garrett. Garrett remains in charge, but one of his top lieutenants is no longer with the team. On Monday afternoon, the Cowboys sacked offensive line coach Paul Alexander, according to a team announcement.
Alexander spent 27 season with the Bengals before becoming the Cowboys’ OL coach this year. Less than halfway into the year, he’s out of a job.
The Cowboys gave Alexander the keys to one of the league’s most talented offensive lines, but the unit took a major hit when Travis Frederick was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome. Without Frederick, the offensive line has been inconsistent and unable to provide adequate pocket protection for quarterback Dak Prescott. Apparently, the Cowboys believe that Alexander’s direction and blocking schemes are at least partly to blame for the front five’s struggles.
Already, Prescott has been sacked 23 times, which is tied for fifth-most in the NFL. Last year, he was sacked 32 times all year and was brought down in the backfield just 25 times as a rookie in 2016.
Marc Colombo, who has served as the team’s assistant offensive line coach since 2016, will serve as the team’s primary offensive line coach. If Colombo can’t get the O-Line back on track, more heads could roll in Dallas.
Cowboys Inquire About Cooper's Past Prior To Trade
- Before executing the trade for Amari Cooper, the Cowboys conducted extensive background checks into him, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Dallas reached out to many people who knew Cooper in the past, including his college coach Nick Saban, and “the people who knew Cooper spoke glowingly about him”, sources told Schefter. The Cowboys made a heavy investment in Cooper, sending a first round pick to Oakland, so it makes sense why they’d do their due diligence.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/28/18
Cowboys Heavily Pursued Watkins
- The Cowboys had been looking for a number one receiver for a while before trading for Amari Cooper, Cowboys VP Stephen Jones said, per Jon Machota of Dallas News (Twitter link). Jones revealed the team heavily pursued Sammy Watkins in free agency but missed out. Since then, they didn’t find a possibility they liked until Cooper became available.