Does This Projected Amari Cooper Trade Make Sense for the Jaguars?

More than anything else, it is clear the Jacksonville Jaguars simply need more playmakers before the 2021 season begins. The glimpses of a foundation are there in spurts, but the Jaguars need to do more to actually build on it.

Ultimately, the Jaguars need more skill players on offense who can threaten defenses and help No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence. Whether that means investing in a burner or in a big-bodied possession receiver or a small, quick-twitch slot receiver, the Jaguars need to do something.

But does that "do more" mean make a trade for a big-name wide receiver?

That is a question the Jaguars could pose to themselves over the next several weeks and months. While the Jaguars have 12 draft picks and are currently projected to have around $59 million in cap space per OverTheCap, there is still reason to believe both the draft and free agency potentially couldn't yield the results the Jaguars want or even need.

But what about a trade? It seems like each offseason there are a number of wide receivers on the trading block, and this offseason is no different at all. One name who continues to frequently come up when speculative scenarios play out is Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper, the former Alabama and Raiders star who was once mocked to the Jaguars with ferocity in the lead up to the 2015 NFL Draft.

One projected hypothetical trade package for Cooper has come from Pro Football Focus, with PFF coming up with this trade offer for both sides.

🚨 Hypothetical Trade 🚨

Amari Cooper ➡️ Jacksonville? 👀 pic.twitter.com/o7sPyK0zg0
— PFF (@PFF) February 23, 2022

Jaguars receive: WR Amari Cooper

Cowboys receive: 2022 second-round pick (No. 33 overall), 2022 fifth-round pick (No. 156 overall).

Would this trade make sense for the Jaguars to consider? Or would they be better off looking at other options, whether it be a different trade package for Cooper or adding a different player entirely? I attempt to find the answer below.

The case for the trade

The most obvious reason to make the deal would be because Cooper -- for all of his issues in 2021 -- would be the most naturally talented Jaguars receiver since Allen Robinson and even arguably since Jimmy Smith. The Jaguars have not had many No. 1 receivers during their history, and Cooper would give them a legitimate chance to change that.

The Jaguars have never been a franchise that is rich in receiver talent due to a long streak without any back-to-back 1,000-yard receivers, and Cooper's background and resume alone would make him one of the most established and prestigious players the franchise has had at the position.

Before a down year in 2021 where Cooper recorded 68 catches for 865 yards (12.7 yards per catch) and eight touchdowns on 104 targets over the cour of 15 games, Cooper was a consistent producer. He had just one season before 2021 where he recorded fewer than 1,000 receiving yards and he only had one season with fewer catches.

Before last year, Cooper averaged 74.8 catches for 1,035.2 yards (13.8 yards per catch) and 6.3 touchdowns per season. Considering Jacksonville's leading receiver last season (Marvin Jones) recorded 73 catches for 832 yards (11.4 yards per catch) and four touchdowns, Cooper seems like a clear and obvious upgrade to a Jaguars' offense that badly needs it.

The case against the trade

The argument against adding a receiver of Cooper's caliber has to do with the details. While adding Amari Cooper for two non-first-round picks sounds like a solid deal in principle, there is some serious context that needs to be examined.

First of all there is Cooper's contract. Cooper's cap hit next offseason, per OverTheCap, the Cowboys could re-work Cooper's current deal to save roughly $12 million or they could cut him for a cap hit of just $6 million. If the Cowboys do neither of these, then Cooper's cap hit is $22 million.

$22 million for Cooper a year after the season he had in 2021 would be a tough pill for the Jaguars or any other NFL team to swallow. While the Jaguars are flush in cap space, that doesn't mean they should be making bad deals and $22 million for Cooper seems like a bad deal at this point.

Then there is the fact that on top of paying Cooper that much money -- a cap hit that $6 million larger than any other player on Jacksonville's roster -- would come after the fact of parting with two draft picks for him. The fifth-round pick is mostly a moot point, but paying Cooper $22 million and spending essentially a late-first on him doesn't make much sense from a team-building perspective.

Essentially, would you rather pay a big-money free agent wide receiver and draft another player with the No. 33 overall pick or have Amari Cooper? In my eyes, the former seems more valuable, especially when Cooper seems like an obvious cut candidate.

Verdict

I wouldn't make this trade for Cooper. I think he is a good receiver and I would consider other trade options for him if the Cowboys don't look to cut him, but there is no reason to give up the No. 33 pick for him when you could have two players for the price of one by holding onto the original assets.