Stephen Jones addresses Amari Cooper production, expectations

Expectations were sky-high for the Dallas Cowboys wide receiver group this season. Between Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup, the three were supposed to light the NFL on fire with quarterback Dak Prescott.

While the numbers might look good on paper, there was some frustration at the end of the season. At times, Cooper felt like he should be getting more targets, especially as he is paid as one of the NFL’s top receivers.

Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President Stephen Jones addressed why Cooper was not getting the touches he wanted. Jones said sometimes it comes down to coaches getting him open, especially when paying all of that money.

“It sometimes not all on the receiver,” Jones said. “It’s scheme. It’s getting the receiver the ball. It’s the targets … But if you’re going to pay somebody a lot of money, you want them to be the best at what they do … with that comes high expectations.”

For the first time since joining the organization, Cooper did not finish the season as the team’s leading receiver. Lamb had that honor, recording 1,102 yards and six touchdowns on 79 receptions. Cooper, only bested the former Oklahoma product in touchdowns, having eight. He finished with 68 catches and 865 yards.

NFL insider gives latest on Amari Cooper situation

Roster turnover is the harsh reality of these NFL these days. Whenever the results do not come to fruition in the playoffs and the cap situation becomes tight, nobody is safe from being moved.

For the Dallas Cowboys, wide receiver Amari Cooper may be one of the names of the move. Not because of his performance on the field but due to his large contract situation. Cooper currently has a $22 million cap hit for the 2022 season, something the Cowboys may not be able to afford.

Aaron Wilson of the Pro Football Network explained where Dallas stood with their star wide receiver. He said there is no decision made on Cooper and how much it would cost Dallas to make a move.

“According to league sources not authorized to speak publicly, the Cowboys haven’t made a decision on what they’re going to do, but most expect them to retain Cooper,” Wilson said. “The plan is to continue to evaluate his performance along with the other players on the roster and then make decisions. If the Cowboys move on from Cooper, there would only be $6 million in remaining dead money.”