How Amari Cooper Could Fit Into the Eagles’ 2020 Plans
Listen: there is nothing Eagles fans hate more than the Cowboys.
As my fellow Eagles Nation writer Shaunak Nadkarni noted in his recent piece, former Cowboys do not have the best track record when arriving in Philadelphia.
But you know who else has had a backtrack record in Philadelphia? The 2019 Eagles Receiving Corps.
Trade talks between Amari Cooper and the Cowboys have stalled as of late, and before you write this off as a DeMarco Murray 2.0 pipe dream, take a second and consider the full picture. Cooper to the Eagles fills a need of ours in an enormous way. Getting there, however, is complicated.
Between his contractual expectations, the Eagles’ cap situation, our current roster, and the draft, there is plenty to discuss.
1) Cooper’s Demands
2019 saw Amari Cooper wrap up the fifth year of his rookie contract, set to become a free agent if the Cowboys cannot secure an extension. Reports from Clarence Hill have Cooper demanding a minimum of $16 million per year, more than Jeffery’s 2019 cap hit. The Cowboys are fresh off paying Ezekiel Elliott $90 million over 6 years, including $28 million against the cap in 2020 and 2021 alike.
Worse yet, they have to lock down their franchise quarterback (if we are calling him that) for what is expected to be north of $30 million per year (#PayDak). I was no math major, but that’s a lot of money. Toss in a $16 million annual contract at receiver and the Cowboys would have to mortgage AT&T Stadium to pay their long snapper.
The $16 million figure would put Cooper in the neighborhood of DeAndre Hopkins and Brandin Cooks ($16.2) and just behind Mike Evans ($16.5). He would also immediately become the highest-paid receiver in Philadelphia history.
2) The Eagles’ Cap Space
Last night we watched the Eagles announce the release of LB Nigel Bradham, opening up $8 million in cap space. That total brings the team to around $50 million for the 2020 season, more than enough to match Cooper’s ask. Keep in mind, however, that the team has to fill holes at CB and S as well. Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby are free agents, Rodney McLeod could be out, and even Jason Peters and Halapoulivaati Vaitai are likely to be gone come Week 1. Jordan Howard fans out there will have to equate for resigning the former Bear as well.
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The Eagles have a lot of wiggle room in free agency this year and are expected to be active in nearly every positional conversation, as is always the case with Howie. Bringing in a receiver like Cooper would be an enormous haul, but financial restrictions will make allocating 32% of available cap space to a receiver unlikely, especially given the likelihood of drafting one.
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3) The Eagles’ Receiving Corps
This is the strongest argument for Cooper wearing midnight green. Not counting any free agents, the Eagles are a lock to bring back Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson, JJ Arcega-Whiteside and… Greg Ward, Jr. That mix is comprised of two 30+-year-olds coming off IR and two guys with 38 career receptions between the two of them. Adding Cooper to that lineup brings in elite talent and positional flexibility as a do-it-all receiver. Taking everything else out of the equation, my mouth waters at Cooper lining up opposite Jeffery with Jackson stretching the field and/or my guy Greg Ward, Jr. mixing it up underneath. Throw in Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert and Wentz will have zero excuses.
Consider this: Whoever we add will be filling the hole left behind by Nelson “Cinder Blocks for Hands” Agholor.
In other words, we need someone who can at least match 39 receptions, 363 yards, and 3 TDs.
Cooper’s 2019 stat line of 79/1189/8 would crush that figure by a country mile and then some. Moreover, concerns surrounding Alshon Jeffery’s relationship with the team could drive Howie to move the veteran as soon as it becomes financially viable. Filling that gap will take much more than a mediocre slot receiver like Agholor, so Cooper’s arrival could help expedite that process and account for missing production.
In summary, the need is real, but Cooper’s financial demands are concerning. Should he be an Eagle, our offense will be cooking for years. But managing the business side will ultimately dictate the Eagles’ strategy.
4) The Draft
The last consideration has to be the draft. The NFL Punditry have already declared this a phenomenal draft class, and fellow Eagles Nation writers are linking CeeDee Lamb and Henry Ruggs, III to Philly in the first round. While anyone would be enthralled to bring in such talent, do not lose sight of the Eagles’ front office woes.
Since 2010, here is how the team has drafted receivers…
2010: Riley Cooper (5th)
2012: Marvin McNutt (6th)
2014: Jordan Matthews (2nd), Josh Huff (3rd)
2015: Nelson Agholor (1st)
2017: Mack Hollins (4th), Shelton Gibson (5th)
2019: JJ Arcega-Whiteside (2nd)
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This list is… rough. JJ may have some upside still, but Howie passed on DK Metcalf to get him. History has shown this team to be horrendous evaluators of receiver talent, at least at the receiver position, so while they will assuredly jump on multiple wideouts at the end of April, confidence in who they take should be rock bottom. Simply put, the Eagles cannot be trusted to solve their receiver woes via the draft alone, if at all.
With all of these calculations in mind, landing Amari Cooper will be a difficult and complicated task, but has the potential to reignite an offense that has produced a fraction of their potential in the last two years.
However, given his contractual demands, it is much more likely the Eagles pair a lower budget free agent with the draft to solve their wideout problems.
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