The extremely talented and always underrated Amari Cooper Thread

[dynastyninja]

Odd move for the Cowboys. If Jerry’s son didn’t have such an ego they would have just resigned Dez and saved their first round pick. Not sure there can be much debate anymore that the offense was far more dynamic with Bryant on the team.

I was thinking the same thing. Dez would have been just as good without paying a 1st.

It baffles me that Dez is still available. He has a lot of juice left. His asking price must just be ridiculous.

[slaughterrt]

Raiders to sign Dez?

[Phaded]

....we actually got a first?
Wow.

[Pac_Eddy]

I disagree that bringing Dez back to Dallas would have been good. Not a good match as it clearly wasn't working.

I also don't like giving a first for Cooper, then having to pay him $14 million next season. They have the cap space to handle it though. A change of scenery sure can't hurt for Amari, so let's hope it works out.

[jcc6fd]

....we actually got a first?
Wow.

Best personnel move Gruden has made?

[dm1129]

The only question I have is the future of Carr. I have read that Gruden has expressed his support for him, but I would not be completely surprised if Carr is traded and McKenzie leaves this offseason. Then it wil be completely the Gruden show with a year to throw away beginning the rebuild before they play in Vegas.

[hockeyBjj]

....we actually got a first?
Wow.

This is the first good news Raiders fans have gotten since before the nfl rookie draft

[notweswelker]

Odd move for the Cowboys. If Jerry’s son didn’t have such an ego they would have just resigned Dez and saved their first round pick. Not sure there can be much debate anymore that the offense was far more dynamic with Bryant on the team.

I was thinking the same thing. Dez would have been just as good without paying a 1st.

It baffles me that Dez is still available. He has a lot of juice left. His asking price must just be ridiculous.

It baffles me that people still hold this opinion. Last we saw of him, he was atrocious. He had a high dropped ball rate, a very low contested catch rate for his style (under 50%), and per usual terrible separation numbers at 90th best in the nfl. He was the 90th best wide receiver at creating separation last season, which is not terrible in the context of his once great jump ball talents, but those have been MIA for some time now.
For comparison, a good jump-ball player is Mike Evans, who is 90th best at separating this season but his contested catch rate is 90% for on-target passes versus, Dez catching them at 46% in 2017.
He's 30 years old in two weeks, and yet he has the attitude of a child, continuously mocking his old team.
The Patriots would rather acquire the headcase Josh Gordon than sign Dez Bryant. That's pretty telling.
It looked like one team was willing to chance it on him (Ravens), but that chance is gone. He could probably be useful as a complimentary receiver but his ego is undoubtedly preventing that. It's a tough fit for a guy like that. His best chance was the Patriots in my opinion, and the fact they seemed completely disinterested is not a good sign. I'm betting he's done. Maybe he'll latch on somewhere temporarily like Chad Ochocinco did, but for all real purposes he's done.

[mullmania]

If Amari didn't like catching contested balls in Oakland he won't like catching contested balls in Philly, New York or Washington when winter hits.

The dome may help him.

Overall seems like a lateral move.

[Phaded]

....we actually got a first?
Wow.

This is the first good news Raiders fans have gotten since before the nfl rookie draft

For now - until we trade the pick for something stupid. I would say this is finally pointing to blowing it up but then we will do something that makes me question that too.

[jcc6fd]

....we actually got a first?
Wow.

This is the first good news Raiders fans have gotten since before the nfl rookie draft

For now - until we trade the pick for something stupid. I would say this is finally pointing to blowing it up but then we will do something that makes me question that too.

Bet they could get DeVante Parker for 3rd to fill the void

[bjd5211]

Cowboys would have been better off just keeping the pick and using it on a WR that's as good or better than Amari, a rookie would cost a lot less and probably have a greater ceiling. Cowboys best case scenario is a first round exit this year, then they get to pay Amari his 5th year option and have to extend him AND Zeke at the same time. This is a potentially disastrous move for them long-term if Amari doesn't perform well.

[mullmania]

Odd move for the Cowboys. If Jerry’s son didn’t have such an ego they would have just resigned Dez and saved their first round pick. Not sure there can be much debate anymore that the offense was far more dynamic with Bryant on the team.

I was thinking the same thing. Dez would have been just as good without paying a 1st.

It baffles me that Dez is still available. He has a lot of juice left. His asking price must just be ridiculous.

It baffles me that people still hold this opinion. Last we saw of him, he was atrocious. He had a high dropped ball rate, a very low contested catch rate for his style (under 50%), and per usual terrible separation numbers at 90th best in the nfl. He was the 90th best wide receiver at creating separation last season, which is not terrible in the context of his once great jump ball talents, but those have been MIA for some time now.
For comparison, a good jump-ball player is Mike Evans, who is 90th best at separating this season but his contested catch rate is 90% for on-target passes versus, Dez catching them at 46% in 2017.
He's 30 years old in two weeks, and yet he has the attitude of a child, continuously mocking his old team.
The Patriots would rather acquire the headcase Josh Gordon than sign Dez Bryant. That's pretty telling.
It looked like one team was willing to chance it on him (Ravens), but that chance is gone. He could probably be useful as a complimentary receiver but his ego is undoubtedly preventing that. It's a tough fit for a guy like that. His best chance was the Patriots in my opinion, and the fact they seemed completely disinterested is not a good sign. I'm betting he's done. Maybe he'll latch on somewhere temporarily like Chad Ochocinco did, but for all real purposes he's done.

Dez could be done but his 2017 production was remarkably similar to Evans from a stat perspective

Evans 136 targets, 71-1,001 5

Dez 132 targets , 69-839-6

Please let's not get hijacked but I had to share this again

[Valhalla]

....we actually got a first?
Wow.

Best personnel move Gruden has made?

Yep...and he'll probably follow it up with trading a first for Demaryius. It's just so fitting.

[dynastyninja]

Odd move for the Cowboys. If Jerry’s son didn’t have such an ego they would have just resigned Dez and saved their first round pick. Not sure there can be much debate anymore that the offense was far more dynamic with Bryant on the team.

I was thinking the same thing. Dez would have been just as good without paying a 1st.

It baffles me that Dez is still available. He has a lot of juice left. His asking price must just be ridiculous.

It baffles me that people still hold this opinion. Last we saw of him, he was atrocious. He had a high dropped ball rate, a very low contested catch rate for his style (under 50%), and per usual terrible separation numbers at 90th best in the nfl. He was the 90th best wide receiver at creating separation last season, which is not terrible in the context of his once great jump ball talents, but those have been MIA for some time now.
For comparison, a good jump-ball player is Mike Evans, who is 90th best at separating this season but his contested catch rate is 90% for on-target passes versus, Dez catching them at 46% in 2017.
He's 30 years old in two weeks, and yet he has the attitude of a child, continuously mocking his old team.
The Patriots would rather acquire the headcase Josh Gordon than sign Dez Bryant. That's pretty telling.
It looked like one team was willing to chance it on him (Ravens), but that chance is gone. He could probably be useful as a complimentary receiver but his ego is undoubtedly preventing that. It's a tough fit for a guy like that. His best chance was the Patriots in my opinion, and the fact they seemed completely disinterested is not a good sign. I'm betting he's done. Maybe he'll latch on somewhere temporarily like Chad Ochocinco did, but for all real purposes he's done.

It baffles me that you're baffled by that statement. He was a very good receiver last year. Not elite, but still a WR1 for a lot of teams.

Dez was in a terrible situation with a QB who was not very good. From 2015-2017, 59.6% of his targets were catch-able, compared to the 70s for guys like Julio, AB, AJ (https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/p ... -a-no-1-wr). Also he was around 70% when Romo was still around.

He's not elite like he used to be, but he's still a really good receiver. Him not signing is much more about his off-field issues than on-field play.