Why Amari Cooper might be primed for his best season yet

Is Amari Cooper primed to post his best performance yet for the Dallas Cowboys?

Since entering the NFL back in 2015 as the fourth overall selection in the draft, Amari Cooper of the Dallas Cowboys has been a highly-regarded wide receiver in the league. In his five-year career so far, Cooper has been elected to the Pro Bowl four times.

After spending his first three and a half seasons with the Oakland Raiders, Cooper was traded to Dallas in exchange for a first-round pick. And his arrival not only turned the Cowboys’ season around in 2018, but the move has elevated the 26-year old’s play.

Last year, Cooper posted several career highs in his first full season playing with America’s Team. He recorded 79 receptions for 1,189 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 15.1 yards per catch. The Cowboys’ offense lead the NFL averaging 431.5 yards a game in 2019 and fielded the league’s second-best passing attack.

This offseason, Cooper and the Cowboys agreed to a five-year, $100 million contract extension that should keep the talented receiver in Dallas through 2024. But the Cowboys also added another premium wide receiver to the depth chart during this year’s draft, landing Oklahoma star CeeDee Lamb with the 17th overall selection in the first round.

Will the presence of another playmaker help Amari Cooper achieve new heights?

The presence of both Lamb and the underrated Michael Gallup plus the numerous other offensive weapons quarterback Dak Prescott will be expected to feed could hurt Cooper’s numbers in 2020. But according to one insider, it could also result in the four-time Pro Bowler posting his best performance yet.

Here’s what Around the NFL Writer Dan Hanzus wrote on league’s official website recently after naming Cooper to his 2020 NFL Superstar Club.

"” … the only concern for Cooper is that all those options could serve to depress his counting stats somewhat. Then again, all that talent should force opposing defenses to move double-teams away from Cooper, leading to inevitable mayhem. The Cowboys should flirt with 30 points per game, and Cooper is set up for his best season yet.”"

Despite posting career highs in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns last season, Cooper struggled away from AT&T Stadium. And that helped Dallas post a mediocre 3-5 record on the road in 2019. The point is, despite the accolades (including another Pro Bowl nod), Cooper could have played much better last season and left a lot on the table.

With his future now secure in Dallas, entering his second full season on the team and under offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, plus the presence of another legit playmaker in CeeDee Lamb; Amari Cooper could be primed to field a career performance for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020.