Amari Back with the Boys, Redskins Tried to Pry

Amari Cooper is heading back to the team that traded for him and helped him flourish.

Cooper is going back to the star.

Here’s a twist: the Washington Redskins pursued Amari Cooper today and tried to pry him away. Dallas prevailed. https://t.co/DNuD48VV0B
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2020

So Cooper is going back to the Cowboys, which was mostly expected but the Redskins made a run.

They fell short and we don't know how short but for Schefter to mention it the way he did, that tells me they lost a close battle.

If Cooper got $20 million a year, maybe the Redskins offered $19? 18?

Who knows. What's significant is they went hard after someone that had been rumored and mentioned and that could have been a major difference maker.

However, at $20 million per year, I am good. No thanks. I can't justify that even with a growing salary cap. The cap rose again this year by $10 million but player salaries and demands across the board continue to grow.

To have had Cooper making $20 million per year would have squeezed out someone or more. Perhaps, a contract extension for another key piece? Jonathan Allen?

Who knows.

Here's what I know: Amari Cooper is a wonderfully talented player and an exquisite route runner.

He drops too many passes and has had a few injuries.

I never viewed him as a must have acquisition despite looking at the receiver position and saying a veteran to add to the group is extremely necessary.

That veteran could be Emmanuel Sanders. He's been my pick all along. A player that will sign for roughly 55% of what Cooper just agreed to sign for and will give you 80% + the production, if not more.

Sanders is a fluid route-runner and he had just one drop last year, according to ProFootballFocus.com.

For that reason, he's been my top choice among veteran receivers for about a month.

Breshad Perriman, Devin Funchess and Taylor Gabriel would all be other options.

Chris Russell is the Publisher of RedskinsReport.com & Sports Illustrated's Washington Redskins channel. He can be heard on 106.7 The FAN in the Washington D.C. area and world-wide on Radio.com. Chris also hosts the "Locked on Redskins" Podcast and can be read via subscription to Warpath Magazine. You can e-mail Chris at russellmania09@Gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @Russellmania621.