Cowboys news: Jerry Jones shares his feelings on the Amari Cooper trade

Sep 24, 2022 - 9:00 AM

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Jerry Jones: Amari Cooper is a real good player, the issue was how much we were paying him - Michael David Smith, NBC Sports

Jerry Jones already went on record this week about a quarterback controversy. Now he’s letting fans know why Amari Cooper is no longer with the team.

The trade that sent Amari Cooper from Dallas to Cleveland this offseason is working out for the Browns. But the man who made the trade, Cowboys owner and General Manager Jerry Jones, says it will work out in the long term for the Cowboys as well.

Jones said on 105.3 The Fan that by trading Cooper for a fifth-round draft pick, the Cowboys ended up with significant salary cap savings that will improve the team in the future.

“The issue with Amari Cooper was how much we were paying him and what we could do with that money, completely. Amari Cooper is a real good player. Top player,” Jones said, via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News

Jones said the Cowboys needed to cap space to prioritize the offensive line and the pass rush.

“You can’t have it all,” Jones said.

If the Cowboys had kept Cooper, he would have counted $20 million against their cap this year. By trading him, they reduced that to a $6 million dead cap hit. The Browns then restructured his contract so that he counts only $4.9 million against the cap this year, but is then slated to have cap his of almost $24 million each of the next two years. The Cowboys could’ve kept Cooper and restructured his contract too, but they didn’t want those future cap hits.

Blabbermouth Skip Bayless believes Cowboys QB Dak Prescott needs competition - Clark Dalton, Yardbarker

Jerry Jones isn’t the only one who has an opinion on the quarterback situation. “Fan favorite” Skip Bayless seems to agree with what Jones has to say.

Fox Sports carnival barker Skip Bayless thinks Jones isn’t bluffing. The longtime Cowboys fanboy said starter Dak Prescott, out with right thumb injury, needs competition.

In a Week 1 loss to Tampa Bay, Prescott struggled, completing 14-of-29 passes for 134 yards. In a Week 2 win over Cincinnati, Rush completed 19-of-31 passes for 235 yards.

It’s not impossible for a backup to replace a starter — Prescott did it in 2016, supplanting Tony Romo — but it’s unlikely.

The Cowboys have a huge investment in Prescott, including $126 million in guaranteed money on his contract, per Spotrac.

Jones is renowned for making outlandish statements. In 2019, the Dallas Morning News complied a list of his 25 greatest quotes.

Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliot believes Jones’ QB comment is a bunch of ... well, you know.

“It’s all marketing,” Elliott said in a Thursday news conference.

Randy Gregory Who? Cowboys Dorance Armstrong Making ‘Toxic Fans’ Forget - Tim Hamm, The Wichita Eagle

After the Cowboys lost out on the Randy Gregory signing to the Broncos, someone needed to step up in his absence. Dorance Armstrong had his best year in 2021. So far through two games this season, it looks like his production continues.

When it became clear last March that the Dallas Cowboys defense was going to lose defensive end Randy Gregory to the Denver Broncos, the team went with Plan B. On March 18, Dallas signed defensive end Dorance Armstrong to a new contract after he entered free agency in the offseason. The very next day, Gregory signed with Denver.

Cowboys fans were panicking at the time, wondering how the defense could survive without their home-grown, seemingly former problem child, who was now possibly an up-and-comer in the league. Of course, Micah Parsons is this team’s leader on defense, but he can’t play both defensive end and linebacker on every down.

Fast-forward to last Sunday, and the Cowboys’ big win over the reigning AFC Champion Bengals. The defense shined without Gregory, but more importantly, with Armstrong.

Of the six sacks Dallas registered against Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow on Sunday, Armstrong was responsible for two. Tack on two more quarterback hits and a pair of solo tackles, and Armstrong had an outstanding game.

It’s the first multi-sack game of his career.

Armstrong signed a two-year, $13 million contract back in March, significantly less than the five-year, $70 million contract offered to Gregory, which was nearly identical to the one he signed in Denver.

Proposed Trade Sees Cowboys Unload Ex-No. 3 Overall Draft Pick - DJ Siddiqi, Heavy.com

It’s still early in the season, but improving your roster is 365 days a year according to Stephen Jones. If the Cowboys want to get a wide receiver before the trade deadline, they might want to consider trading some quality depth along the defensive line.

As noted by Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine, the one of the trade targets that the Las Vegas Raiders should target is none other than linebacker Dante Fowler. Ballentine argues that the Raiders need help when it comes to rushing the passer, with Maxx Crosby the only player having registered a sack so far this season.

While Fowler has impressed in his first two games as a Cowboys, he’s been limited in snaps due to his role as a situational pass-rusher (24 percent of defensive snaps). Dallas’ abundance of pass-rushers could make Fowler expendable for a draft pick.

“The 28-year-old showcased his utility as a rotational pass-rusher, but the truth is the Cowboys have an abundance of them,” says Ballentine. “Micah Parsons continues to be a game-wrecker when playing on the edge, while DeMarcus Lawrence and Dorance Armstrong are seeing more snaps than Fowler as well.Chauncey Golston and Sam Williams were right behind.

So, while Fowler has been a good addition for the Cowboys, he might be worth more as a future draft pick.”

Ballentine has a valid point. While the Cowboys have been far from impressive during their 1-1 start, their pass rush has been their lone bright spot early on in the season. According to Pro Football Focus, Dallas has posted an 80.7 pass-rushing grade this season, ranking second in the league. By comparison, the Raiders have posted a 60.6 defensive grade, ranking 25th in the league.

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