Dallas Cowboys: How Michael Thomas’ deal affects Amari Cooper

With Michael Thomas signing a record-breaking wide receiver contract, how will that affect the Dallas Cowboys’ negotiations with Amari Cooper?

Michael Thomas became the NFL’s first $100 million wide receiver on Wednesday, agreeing to a new deal with the New Orleans Saints that pays him that money over five seasons. And while that locks up a great player for Sean Payton‘s team, it leaves questions throughout the rest of the league — specifically in regards to the Dallas Cowboys and Amari Cooper.

While also working on deals for quarterback Dak Prescott and the currently-holding-out Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys have also been negotiating to get a new deal with Cooper. Cooper is entering the fifth-year option of his rookie deal after being traded from Oakland to Dallas in the middle of the 2018 season.

After conceding a first-round pick in the trade to land Cooper, the assumption has long been that the Cowboys will do whatever necessary to keep the pass-catcher in Dallas for the long term. Having said that, the two sides have yet to agree on a new contract as training camp has begun and with Thomas now seemingly setting a new market for the position.

But how much does Thomas’ deal affect the Cowboys and Cooper? If you ask Dallas’ Executive Vice President, Stephen Jones, not that much. Per Jon Machota of The Athletic, Jones and the Cowboys still have a number in mind that they consider “better”:

Jones had more to say on the subject, as well. Per NFL.com, Jones said in the same radio appearance on 1310 The Ticket that the Cowboys weren’t going to be a “market-setter”:

More from NFL Spin Zone

• Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
• Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
• Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
• Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
• Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens

"“We can’t push the issue unless we want to be a market-setter. And we’re damn sure not going to be a market-setter, because of all the things that go with being a Dallas Cowboy.”"

Those comments weren’t just in relation to Cooper but in regards to Elliott and Prescott as well. Even still, it’s worth noting in the wake of Thomas’ new deal. The Cowboys are clearly not interested in trying to reset the market again, largely in the interest of retaining some cap flexibility with contracts for lesser-profile players like Jaylon Smith and Byron Jones also looming.

Given the entirety of Jones’ comments and Thomas’ massive contract with New Orleans, it truly seems as if the record-setting deal for the Saints receiver isn’t having any affect on negotiations with Cooper — at least fromt eh Cowboys perspective.

Cooper’s camp, on the other hand, may be evaluating things differently. After all, there is a reason that a deal isn’t done yet and, perhaps, it’s due to waiting on players like Thomas to sign their deals. That then gives Cooper and his agent a number to work with and around when talking to the Dallas front office about a new contract.

When it’s all played out, it sould be shocking to see Cooper match Thomas’ deal with a $20 million per year average salary. Having said that, the number that the wide receiver ultimately gets may be closer to that figure than it would’ve been had he signed before Thomas. The effects from the Thomas contract may not be as severe as some may say but they are unquestionably there nonetheless.