Amari Cooper may soon find himself in motion to a new NFL team, though it’s worth wondering if his route tree to follow-on employment might be somewhat limited.
ESPN reported Friday that the Dallas Cowboys may soon release their nominal No. 1 receiver. Cooper’s $20 million salary for 2022 becomes fully guaranteed on March 20, four days after the new league year – and free agency – officially begin.
However if the Cowboys decide to cut Cooper, it would almost surely happen prior to March 16 – the point at which Dallas, which is currently more than $13 million overspent for 2022, must be cap compliant.
If Cooper is let go, sooner is better for the 2015 first-round pick of the Oakland Raiders, who was traded to the Cowboys during the 2018 season. Players with expiring contracts can’t sign new deals before March 16. But if the four-time Pro Bowler is released, he’d become a so-called “street free agent” and could sign with a different organization immediately – and that could be advantageous given the upcoming draft appears flush with wideout talent while Green Bay’s Davante Adams, the Chargers‘ Mike Williams, Rams’ Odell Beckham Jr. and Tampa Bay’s Chris Godwin – the latter two are recovering from ACL surgery – might all become unrestricted free agents.
Yet Cooper, the first receiver in league history to command a $100 million contractual package – his $20 million average annual salary still ranks fourth at the position – would also doubtless have to lower his asking price coming off an 865-yard 2021 season, when he missed two games due to COVID-19.
Given those variables, here are 11 teams that might logically be in the market for his services if the Cowboys no longer are (salary cap figures as of Friday afternoon, per Over The Cap):
Speedy Darnell Mooney showed signs of developing into a No. 1 receiver last season, but QB Justin Fields could most definitely use another reliable option on the outside given Allen Robinson will almost certainly sign elsewhere. New GM Ryan Poles’ first priority might be to improve the blocking in front of Fields – and Chicago’s balance sheet shows a $26 million surplus but no first-round pick in 2022 – and putting more weaponry around a franchise player who needs far more support in Year 2 should also be a key consideration.
The passing game was the evident Achilles heel for a team that muddled through a disappointing 2021 season marred by QB Baker Mayfield‘s medical chart. With Mayfield playing for his future and this team looking to return to its 2020 form, when Cleveland nearly reached the AFC title round, the need for a productive receiver – and maybe two, especially if Jarvis Landry is jettisoned – is apparent. GM Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski have nearly $30 million to throw at the problem.
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Yes, they still have to shave more than $25 million from their 2022 cap projection, but stay with me. If they can re-sign Adams at a cap-friendly number rather than franchising him and give league MVP Aaron Rodgers an extension that provides further financial flexibility – his cap hit for 2022 is currently an untenable $46+ million – Cooper could be a significant offensive upgrade for last year’s No. 1-seeded NFC team, which is also set to lose WR2 Marquez Valdes-Scantling to free agency.
Many signs point to them parting with QB Carson Wentz. But regardless of who takes the snaps, this team will require more firepower than WR Michael Pittman Jr. – T.Y. Hilton and Zach Pascal both have expiring deals – if it expects defenses to pay for loading the box to stop 2021 rushing king Jonathan Taylor. And GM Chris Ballard might be compelled to dip into his $37 million reserve considering last year’s Wentz trade cost him this year’s first-round pick.
Jacksonville Jaguars
If they’re committed to continued improvement of QB Trevor Lawrence’s professional life, then earmarking part of their $55 million free agent war chest to Cooper would make more sense than, say, re-signing WR DJ Chark or hoping Laviska Shenault has a belated breakthrough. Cooper has averaged nearly seven touchdowns per season during his seven-year career, and that would certainly be a boon to a team that scored the fewest points in the NFL in 2021.
Kansas City Chiefs
It seems like they’re perpetually searching for a third option in the passing game behind TE Travis Kelce and WR Tyreek Hill – remember the 2019 second-rounder invested in WR Mecole Hardman, last year’s failed free agent pursuit of JuJu Smith-Schuster and subsequent signing of Josh Gordon. Cooper would probably represent a more sizable financial outlay for a team that only has about $10 million in cap space and issues to address defensively … but can you imagine?
Las Vegas Raiders
Thomas Wolfe famously wrote “You Can’t Go Home Again,” and in Cooper’s case that’s true since the Raiders no longer play in Oakland. But donning the Silver and Black again could make sense since he wouldn’t be playing for the man who traded him – Jon Gruden – but could reunite with QB Derek Carr, who could really use a capable downfield threat to team with slot WR Hunter Renfrow and TE Darren Waller.
Miami Dolphins
Also, sometimes you can go home again – and Cooper was born in Miami and starred at Miami Northwestern Senior High School prior to joining Alabama. Also, the Fins have a league-high $63 million available for free agency, are newly recommitted to QB Tua Tagovailoa’s success and need more pass-catching playmakers aside from WR Jaylen Waddle.
New England Patriots
Even after adding WRs Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne and TEs Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith in free agency a year ago, it still doesn’t feel like QB Mac Jones has a bona fide, go-to receiver. New England currently has fewer than $10 million to spend, but if Cooper is willing to take a bit less, he might land in a spot that gives him a chance to play in a conference championship game for the first time.
New York Jets
If they’re going to avoid the missteps they made with former QB Sam Darnold, then GM Joe Douglas needs to continue bolstering the supporting cast around Zach Wilson, the No. 2 pick of the 2021 draft. With slot WR Jamison Crowder on the way out, a troika of Cooper, Elijah Moore and Corey Davis might offer a nice mix of ability and experience for a team that has nearly $50 million at its disposal – and might be better served by dedicating its pair of first-round selections to the league’s worst defense in 2021.
Washington Commanders
Call them the NFC version of the Colts, a team with a capable roster but a major question mark at quarterback. But if the newly christened Commanders conceivably add Cooper to an offensive group that includes WRs Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel, RB Antonio Gibson and TE Logan Thomas, that might be a pretty good advertisement to a veteran passer currently stuck on another roster. Also, Cooper might enjoy the opportunities to prove Dallas wrong twice annually …
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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Amari Cooper’s next NFL team? Packers, Jets among fits for Cowboys WR