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By Calvin Watkins 50m ago
The Cowboys took care DeMarcus Lawrence early in April, signing him to the richest contract in franchise history.
The next shoe has yet to fall, however. The team’s other young stars are still waiting for their own extensions, Amari Cooper among them.
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Monday no progress has been made in extending Cooper’s contract. A source said Cooper’s representatives are seeking a larger contract than what the Cowboys are willing to offer. Industry sources say Cooper is looking for one of the largest contracts at his position. The team’s offers have come in between $14 million and $16 million per year. A Cowboys source expressed indifference in regards to Cooper’s demands. In any negotiation, salary demands can take on a life of their own.
As it stands, Odell Beckham has the highest average salary ($18 million per year) as well as the largest guarantee ($65 million) at the position. Antonio Brown (16.7 million) and Mike Evans (16.5 million) have the second- and third-highest average salaries at wide receiver. Evans is second to Beckham in total guarantees with $55 million, followed by Brandin Cooks (50.4 million).
Cooper was hugely valuable to the Cowboys last year, helping turn around the offense after the team miscalculated the talent in its wide receiver room. The “receiver by committee” approach didn’t quite work out for Dallas after the team released Dez Bryant. Cooper was brought over from Oakland for a premium pick and didn’t take long to make an impression.
Giving up a first-round pick for a wide receiver hasn’t worked in the past for the Cowboys; Google “Joey Galloway” and “Roy Williams.” This time might be different.
In nine games, Cooper caught 53 passes for 725 yards and scored six touchdowns. There was a three-game stretch where Cooper caught 26 passes for 473 yards with five touchdowns at a catch rate of 86.7 percent. Cooper caught six passes for 65 yards and one touchdown in the team’s playoff loss to Los Angeles but gave reporters the impression he should have bigger numbers. This could be an indictment of now-former offensive coordinator Scott Linehan or simply a factor of how the Rams defense defended Cooper.
Cooper was a fantastic addition to the Cowboys. Prescott couldn’t stop raving about the receiver’s ability to quickly get off the line of scrimmage and begin routes. The attention Cooper draws from defensive backs also opens paths for Prescott to get the ball to Gallup on deep passes. With new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in the fold, the Dallas offense could add versatility and improve further.
“It’s a very good thing to get an offseason with your quarterback,” Cooper said. “He’s going to be throwing you the ball on many different types of routes, which you kinda need that chemistry to get better each day.”
The Cowboys could have signed Lawrence in the summer of 2018 for about $16 million on average, a source said. But the front office waited to see if Lawrence could have another strong season. And when Lawrence earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl berth, his price went up.
The Cowboys know exactly what Cooper represents: An elite talent who elevated their offense last season. A source said the Cowboys were expected to take care of Cooper by training camp, but negotiations have been paused.
Cooper is scheduled to make $13.9 million in 2019, a result of a fifth-year option which helps the Cowboys evaluate him another year. But there is little left to evaluate.
Taking care of Cooper could be quite complex given what must be accomplished with other players such as Prescott, Byron Jones and Zeke Elliott. Jones said contract talks with those players have not progressed, although he wasn’t too concerned. The Cowboys have been here before and expect to eventually come to an agreement with their young, talented players. They can’t afford to let Cooper and Prescott enter free agency. They don’t plan to apply the franchise tag to either player; Prescott’s tag could be $30 million, while Cooper’s would likely be around $18 million.
The Cowboys are reluctant to offer Jones an extension because of his recent hip surgery. He’ll need to prove himself with another Pro Bowl season.
But when it comes to Cooper, everything is on hold until it’s not.