Dallas Cowboys: 5 reasons the Amari Cooper trade was a good move
2. Amari Cooper is only 24 years old
Amari Cooper is only six months older than Calvin Ridley, the Atlanta Falcons wide receiver who was a first-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft. Yet, Cooper is in his fourth season in the league and has already been named to two Pro Bowls.
So if you look at the trade from that perspective, the Cowboys found themselves a proven version of Ridley at nearly the same age for the exact same price the Falcons paid for him. And age was certainly a big factor in this move. Two of the top three wide receivers taken in the 2018 NFL Draft are 23-years old (Ridley, Courtland Sutton).
light. Related Story. 5 reasons the Amari Cooper trade was a mistake
According to the co-host of DallasCowboys.com’s Draft Show, Dane Brugler, Cooper will give the Cowboys better production than any first-round rookie would in the upcoming 2019 draft class. So instead of an unproven first-year player, Dallas is getting a 24-year veteran with nearly four years of NFL level experience under his belt. And not just an average player, but a Pro Bowl-level receiver.
Rarely does a player with this much success, who was drafted this high (fourth overall in 2015 draft), and who is still this young made available via a midseason trade. Fortunately for the Cowboys, the Raiders have decided to have a fire sale. Everything must go in Oakland. And Dallas was bold enough to swoop in, outbid other rumored teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, and got a deal done. Cooper should be in the Cowboys plans for several years to come.