In a stunning turn of events, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones made it abundantly clear that he was “all in” for the 2024 season, but not in the typical sense. In fact, it quickly became apparent that the team couldn’t even think about adding new players to the roster until they sorted out the contract situations of star receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott.
The prolonged negotiations and foot-dragging that persisted well into free agency led many to conclude that the Cowboys, when it comes to managing contracts of their top talent, are not living up to their reputation as savvy dealmakers. They were criticized for being cheap, short-sighted, and perhaps not as intelligent as they believed themselves to be.
During a recent appearance on 105.3 The Fan radio in Dallas, Jones further fueled the fire by discussing the decision to trade receiver Amari Cooper just two years into his massive five-year, $100 million contract. “We went for the dollars,” Jones explained, referring to the trade that sent Cooper to Cleveland prior to the 2022 season. “When we traded Amari Cooper, we saved almost $20 million for our cap and in the future. We took a lesser draft pick to get that savings.”
In truth, the Cowboys were prepared to release Cooper if a trade couldn’t be arranged. Ultimately, they settled for a fifth-round pick and a swap of sixth-round selections, while shedding the hefty salary burden of Cooper, a move that proved to be prescient as the market for receivers exploded shortly after.
The subsequent trades of Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill, both fetching massive contracts, highlighted the Cowboys’ miscalculation. Adams and Hill landed deals that surpassed what had been reported, proving that the Cowboys had underestimated the market value of top receivers.
Cooper thrived in Cleveland, notching two 1,000-yard seasons despite inconsistent quarterback play. He even made a Pro Bowl appearance in 2023. The fact that the Browns, viewed as contenders, decided to trade him to Buffalo for a lesser return speaks volumes about his impact on the field.
While the Cowboys may have eventually needed to choose between Cooper and Lamb as their WR1, they jumped the gun by dealing Cooper in 2022. They delayed addressing Lamb’s contract for two more seasons and inked Michael Gallup to a lucrative deal once Cooper was off the books.
In the end, the Cowboys’ handling of the receiver situation left many scratching their heads, questioning the team’s foresight and strategy moving forward. Jones can claim to be “all in” for the 2024 season, but only time will tell if their recent decisions will pay off in the long run.
