When players sign long-term contracts, the total value
often creates the headline, but the
real story is how much is fully guaranteed? Its signing how
many years does the player have guaranteed, when Marco Persona
5 year, 10 million dollar contract two years ago. The
Cowboys first thing we did, we broke it down. Hey, this is
a two-year 40 million dollar deal. After that. He could be gone
and he likely will be released after only two calls it
into this new contract. Well, it's 20 million dollars and
it's fully guaranteed on March 20. Good for him. Cooper's
agent to include an early trigger
too many deals. Don't have those because otherwise
the Cowboys could have waited and waited and waited with
the money. Not fully guaranteed until the start of the regular
season. They have to make an early decision by March 20,
what they're going to do or that money becomes fully
guaranteed. So
when they put out the word that they're likely, going to
release him, Chris, that's an invitation to trade for him.
Right? And possibly a precursor to making him an offer on
a reduced deal with the understanding that he doesn't
take it. He's going to be cut.
And maybe maybe the Cowboys whatever they're willing to offer
is as good or better than what someone else would offer him if
he becomes a free agent, so maybe he takes whatever they
say to you know, we're going to pay you twelve million. I'm
just throwing out a number. Yeah, right. If no one else can
pay more than 12. You take the 12. Sure it right off
the eighth and you keep
going. It seems like he's happy in Dallas. That's the one
thing. You know, we've continually heard about Amari
Cooper there, you know over the last few years they seem to
like him,
you know, even with some of the covid issues, he hit with this
year. Jerry Jones was you know, Adamant about sticking up for
him and about the person Amari Cooper was, he's got incredible
town. He does now. He just you know Health has been a little
bit of an issue banged up a lot that's been part of
the problem,
you know, where you called it from. The get-go was when they
drafted CD lamb. That's when you you called that. You know,
I remember you saying. Well, this is this might make them.
Are you Cooper Expendable in two years?
Well, it does. And yeah, I have a hard time. I don't know.
I don't think Amari Cooper is going to be able to come and
twenty million dollars a year right now in the market.
I don't
know. So, Oh, that's where I look at it. And you're right.
Now. There's some teams out there
that have a real need at wide receiver and got some money to
play with now. That's where it does get interesting. So, he's
going to have to balance that, you know, and again, yeah, do
you want to stay somewhere comfortable
and make less money?
Or do you want to put yourself out there and maybe not be you
know part of the Dallas Cowboys or a better football team, but
make something close to the 20 million dollars. A year. You
were supposed to make,
you know, and you do look at it. You look at the Dolphins.
Jets, the Colts, the Browns, and I'll teams that I look at
the go. Oh, they all need receiver help. They all got
a lot of damn money to
throw around too
and it's just going to be what's the market for Amari
Cooper out? There is the big question, but he certainly can
play and still be dangerous. That's for sure.
Technically tampering for other teams to talk to Cooper's
agents about what would be available if he's cut but that
that's how it works and sometimes it benefits his
current team because again,
maybe the Cowboys will pay him 12, and if no one else
We'll pay him 12.
It's good. That he finds that out before. He tells
the Cowboys to shove it. I don't want your 12 million dollars.
So there's a method to this being leaked. It's either to
get him to take a class
or two, maybe swing a trade. If there's multiple teams that are
willing to pick up a contract that he would willingly
revised if he's not willing to do anything then it's simple.
He becomes a free agent because he gets cut because they're not
going to pay him. 20 million fully guaranteed for 2022.
One last point on Cooper though. And what?
Emphasize this even more. If and when they cut him,
remember when they traded form in 2018, the 2019 draft, rolled
around in the Cowboys, puffed out their chest when their
first-round pick would have been exercised and said, we
want and watch film of Amari Cooper for our first round
pick. Well, you know what, you know,
what, from 2019 through 2021. They paid Amari Cooper fifty
three point, nine million dollars. If they would have
used the 27th overall pick. It would have been a four year,
eleven point four million dollar deal with a
50 or option on the back end and receivers who were available
at the 20. Seventh overall slot in 2019 include Debo Samuel, AJ
Brown and DK Metcalf for eleven point. Four million dollars for
four years. Let alone 50 39 million for Amari Cooper.
43 agreed. Let alone I think they misread the town they had
on their roster, already at the wide receiver position. I think
they undervalued it, you know, again now, Michael gallops her
but we here,
I don't think he
re signed a new contract, yet the right Leverage, The Talk
last week to this close, right? So, yeah, that was a little bit
of a head-scratcher certainly and you're right. I mean,
they're going to look at that now. Man, that was a lot of
money,
but we'll see where it goes. You know, he's incredible route
Runner. He really is. He still has home run hitting speed to
where
he can catch a go route and run by here for a 70-yard touchdown.
He's got a lot of game left in them of the Marty Cooper. So
I would think there's definitely some teams that want his
Services. It's just going to be about how much money he's he's
commanding, her asking for,
you can keep Michael Gallup and Cedric Wilson for less than
what's going to cost you to keep them are Cooper and and
you can draft one of those really The fast guys.
We saw at the combine. That's the other side of it too. That
makes it harder to justify paying Amari Cooper 20 million
a year.
Also hard to justify paying 19 million a year to Demarcus
Lawrence. That's his base salary counts 27 million
against the cap. He is future, is in doubt, after he
reportedly declines to take a pay cut, that means he's gone.
He's done, it's over and
that money is going to get invested most likely and Randy
Gregory right II guess. So I would then give someone that's
going to go there, certainly, but this is that
That's a big development here.
I mean, that really is again,
you know, Dallas is d-line.
It's good. We know that it's not great. I think it was
a little overrated, Demarcus Lawrence, clearly the most
talented defensive linemen they have now. Maybe this is a sign
of we're going to move Mark. Michael Parsons there
and and and let him be a true defense and end
and and use other guys to play stand-up linebacker. I don't
know,
but I know Demarcus Lawrence. Yeah, he's looking at this
going, what? I mean, I just signed this contract not long
ago,
you know, I'm a big part of this team and he's not going to
take less. He's not he realizes wait pay cut. I'm going to I'm
going to be able to demand pretty big money out in
the free market. If you cut me he is. I mean, he's
still a damn special player. He's had a little bit of
an injury history and dealt with some issues last year. But
damn, I mean, he's a Difference Maker and I can understand him,
not want to take a pay, cut played in seven games last
year, due to a foot fracture, but, you know, the Cowboys got
to make some tough decisions. You can
only have so many cap.
Dollars to allocate and the performance. And the production
definitely have dropped big tons, 2017. 14.5 at down and
down all the way to 3 this.