Ranking the Dallas Cowboys 10 best players on the roster

6. Amari Cooper, Wide Receiver

In 2018, the Cowboys made the mistake of thinking they could use a committee approach at wide receiver. We already touched on how their philosophy did lead to them landing Michael Gallup, who has developed into a star, but there are no other receivers from the start of that season who remain key contributors for Dallas.

As they approached midseason that year, they finally admitted their mistake and sent a first-round pick to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for Amari Cooper. At the time, Cooper was a two-time Pro Bowler who had two 1,000-yard seasons to start his career. However, he was off to a slow start in 2018 and didn’t seem to be a favorite of new head coach Jon Gruden.

In six games with Oakland, Cooper had 22 catches for 280 yards and a touchdown. Those numbers were not indicative of his talent but that didn’t stop people from pointing and laughing at the Cowboys for being ripped off. One of the more brutal criticisms came from Adam Rank, who said the Cowboys bought a $12 Target shirt for $179.

Dallas ended up being proven right in this trade which led to people like Rank recanting their statements. Just kidding, they all acted like they never said a word and instead carried on as if the Jones family was still shooting from the hip with no plan.

As for Cooper, he ended up crossing the 1,000-yard mark in 2018 thanks to his 53 receptions for 725 yards and six touchdowns in nine games with Dallas. He then came out and had the best season of his career in 2019, despite playing the entire year with a nagging quad injury.

Cooper signed a massive extension this offseason and should only continue to grow as a player. A complete receiver, Cooper is able to beat teams on any route and can score from anywhere on the field. He’s also a stud when it comes to the sideline receptions and put himself in the conversation for top-10 receivers in the NFL. Well worth that $179 they paid.