The Cleveland Browns just beat the Dallas Cowboys, in a game many expected to be close. What happened?
The “dallas cowboys 2020” is a topic that has been trending on social media. The Cleveland Browns just robbed the Dallas Cowboys, and this will be a great game to watch.
Following a week in which the NFL quarterback market exploded, a major wide receiver transaction took place on Saturday. The Dallas Cowboys were able to save their investment in Amari Cooper by dealing him rather than cutting him. Despite this, the Cleveland Browns were victorious in the exchange. This is why.
From the Dallas Cowboys to the Cleveland Browns: Amari Cooper’s Trade
According to a source, a deal has been reached in which the Browns will get WR Amari Cooper and a sixth-round pick, while the Cowboys will receive a fifth and sixth-round pick.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2022
The Oakland Raiders traded a disgruntled Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys in 2018 for a first-round selection that became No. 27 overall in 2019. It was utilized by the Raiders to pick safety Jonathan Abrams.
Dallas received a lot of bang for their buck in that deal.
Cooper appeared in two Pro Bowls, caught 292 passes for 3,893 yards, and scored 27 touchdowns throughout the course of his career. He also contributed to the Cowboys’ 36-29 record and two postseason berths.
Despite his outstanding overall performance, the Cowboys were prepared to release Cooper during the 2022 offseason. Last season, he had his worst statistical year in Dallas. The former Alabama wideout collected a career-low 68 passes for 865 yards in 15 games, marking his second time falling short of the 1,000-yard mark. His eight touchdowns, on the other hand, matched a career high.
Cutting Cooper was about more than the stats, however. Shedding the WR’s $20 million salary in 2022 saved the ‘Boys $16 million against the cap, per Tom Pelissero on Twitter.
Why did the Cleveland Browns get the better end of the deal?
People will be enticed to declare the Dallas Cowboys won the Amari Cooper deal for a variety of reasons. The organization freed up $16 million in salary-cap space and gained something for nothing if Cooper had been released by the franchise.
Cleveland, on the other hand, received a steal in the Amari Cooper deal, and Jerry Jones blundered.
Let’s start with the reality that Cooper, despite being a seven-year NFL veteran, is still just 27 years old and a 1,000-yard receiver every year. Yes, his deal is large, but there are now five wide receivers earning more than him, and that number might rise depending on what happens with Chris Godwin.
For Cleveland, they got an upgrade on Jarvis Landry — who, according to Mike Garafolo on Twitter, can now seek a trade — for less than $4M in additional salary. They also get a pure No. 1 wideout, as opposed to Landry, a high-end No. 2.
Cooper, along with up-and-coming Donovan Peoples-Jones, just re-signed TE David Njoku, and the 1-2 punch of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt as running back, provides Baker Mayfield a formidable offensive arsenal.
Last season, CeeDee Lamb established himself as the actual No. 1 receiver for the Cowboys, but with Michael Gallup an unrestricted free agent and just a few months out from an ACL tear, losing Cooper will be a blow to Dak Prescott.
In 2022, a team’s pass-catching unit must be comparable to that of a basketball squad. For the group to be dynamic, it requires players of diverse shapes, sizes, and skill levels. That was given to the Cleveland Browns and taken away from the Cowboys in the Amari Cooper deal, which included a fifth-round selection and the swapping of fourth-round choices.
Cleveland came out on top in the transaction.
For the 2022 season, the Browns must go all-in.Â
Elsa/Getty Images/Amari Cooper
The Cleveland Browns needed to make this move to get out of the Amari Cooper deal with the Dallas Cowboys.
Giving up a fifth-rounder and trading sixth-rounders for a real No. 1 receiver (hopefully less volatile than Odell Beckham Jr.) is a no-brainer for the 2022 season, which is all about QB Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield’s rookie contract has a fifth-year option, which will pay him $18.8 million this season. If the Browns want to retain him beyond this season, a contract would most likely cost $30-$40 million per year over three to six seasons.
The Browns have pledged to provide Mayfield with everything he needs to flourish (or fail) in 2022. The Browns are in position at No. 13 in the 2018 NFL Draft to choose one of the best pass-catchers available, such as Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson or Chris Olave, USC’s London Drake, or Arkansas’ Treylon Burks, in addition to re-signing TE David Njoku and dealing for Cooper.
The Cleveland Browns made a terrific move grabbing a top WR who went for a first-round selection only a few seasons ago as they go into a season that will determine the franchise’s destiny.
The ball is now in Mayfield’s hands. If he leads the Browns to the playoffs, he’ll almost certainly sign a lucrative deal and remain in Northeast Ohio for the foreseeable future. If he fails, the 2018 No. 1 overall selection will most likely sign a prove-it agreement with a different club in 2023.
Pro Football Reference provided all numbers, while Spotrac provided contract statistics.
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