Dallas Cowboys: Amari Cooper was worth the price

No team takes more grief for every move made than the Dallas Cowboys, but after just two games we can see they got it right with wide receiver Amari Cooper

Over the past couple season, the Dallas Cowboys have done a pretty good job in terms of scouting players. They’ve done well in the draft for the most part and have strayed from their splash moves in free agency that hurt them in the past.

While they haven’t become contenders, it has worked out to where they have a competitive roster. They proved that on Sunday Night Football by beating the defending champions on the road in a close contest. Another thing they proved in that win is their highly-mocked trade for receiver Amari Cooper was worth the price. And yes, this can be said after just two games played with the Boys.

In those two games, Cooper has 11 receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown. That’s impressive considering it takes receivers a while to learn their new teams. But his worth is felt beyond what he does himself.

The entire Cowboys receiving corps looks better with him drawing attention. NFL Next Gen Stats prove that with Cooper on the field, there is more separation for all receivers per route as Dallas has climbed from worst in the league in this stat to No. 11. Cooper has also helped Ezekiel Elliott, who had his best game of the season thanks to teams no longer being able to sell out on the run.

Dallas has also greatly improved their third-down efficiency, which had a lot to do with them winning on Sunday. That’s not just Cooper either as players like Michael Gallup and Allen Hurns also came up with key catches — both are playing better in supporting roles rather than trying to be the No. 1 guy.

It’s become a cliche to pick on the Cowboys front office. Even when teams like the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders cut players, people like ESPN’s Bill Barnwell likes to somehow tie that to the Cowboys (because clearly no one else was interested in these guys).

Even with that being a trend, this time they got it right. Yes, they paid more than the Eagles paid for Golden Tate who cost a third-round pick. They also paid more than Denver did for Demaryius Thomas, who was acquired for a fourth-round pick.

What the people pointing that out missed is Tate is 30 years old and is an eight-game rental set to be paid in free agency. Thomas is also 30 and about to turn 31 in a month.

Cooper, however, is 24 years old and a two-time Pro Bowl selection. He’s the same age as Calvin Ridley, a rookie the Cowboys were tied to this season in the draft. He’s also a safer bet than any wideout in the draft as we have seen many first-round picks flop — like Kevin White, Breshad Perriman, Josh Doctson, Corey Coleman, and Laquon Treadwell.

Dallas knew they needed a wideout and they felt better using that pick now on Cooper rather than hoping they got a Ridley rather than the aforementioned list of busts. It’s not fun and it doesn’t fit the narrative that no one in Dallas does anything right, but this time they did with Cooper.