Cowboys in danger of losing Amari Cooper as tampering period begins
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper can start talking to other teams and even enter into contract negotiations as the legal tampering period begins.
With the recent ratification of the new collecting bargaining agreement (CBA) by the NFL and it’s player association, the Dallas Cowboys were reduced to using only one tag in an effort to retain some of their numerous pending free agents. On Monday, the Cowboys elected to use their exclusive franchise tag on quarterback Dak Prescott.
That means fellow unrestricted free agent, wide receiver Amari Cooper, could potentially hit the open market. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, no deal has been struck with Cooper in Dallas as the legal tampering period started on Monday. This period allows other NFL teams to contact the four-time Pro Bowl wideout and potentially enter into contract negotiations with him.
Yet, there is optimism a deal will get done with America’s Team as Cooper told 105.3 The Fan during a radio interview earlier this month that he wants to be a Dallas Cowboy for life and that he thinks about it every day.
The Cowboys traded for Cooper midway through their 2018 regular season, sending their 2019 first-round selection to the Oakland Raiders. And his arrival sparked a turnaround that took a 3-5 team to a season-ending record of 10-6, earning the Cowboys the NFC East crown, and securing the first playoff victory for himself and young stars like Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott.
Since arriving in Dallas, Cooper has been elected to two straight Pro Bowls. Last season, the 25-year old posted career-highs in receiving yards (1,189), average yards per catch (15.1), and receiving touchdowns (8).
With the legal tampering period underway, here are some of the Cowboys’ notable unrestricted free agents:
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) March 16, 2020
WR: Amari Cooper
CB: Byron Jones
DE: Robert Quinn
WR: Randall Cobb
DT: Maliek Collins
LB: Sean Lee
TE: Jason Witten
DE: Michael Bennett
Next. Dallas Cowboys: 15 best free agent acquisitions of all-time. dark
According to NFL.com, with the tagging of Dak Prescott on Monday morning, the 25-year old Amari Cooper now moves to the top of their Top 101 NFL free agents of 2020 list. Yet exchanging a first-rounder for a year and a half of production makes little sense for the Dallas Cowboys who will likely make every effort to secure the talented wide receiver’s services for the foreseeable future.