Is it time for Cowboys fans to be concerned about Amari Cooper’s health?
Amari Cooper is dealing with an injury before the season and it’s time for Dallas Cowboys fans to be slightly concerned but it’s not time to hit the panic button yet.
Amari Cooper is the $100 million receiver the Dallas Cowboys chose to invest in as the number one pass-catcher on offense. That investment looked like a great one after Cooper finished the 2019 season in Dallas with 1,189 yards and eight touchdowns.
He enters 2020 atop a dominant wide receiving corps featuring himself, Michael Gallup, and new arrival CeeDee Lamb. But recent news has revealed Cooper is not exactly at full strength ahead of the season and remains a non-participant as next Sunday’s season-opener looms large.
Cowboys have downplayed situation involving WR Amari Cooper. And indeed, perhaps he will be full go in next Sunday’s opener vs. Rams. But it is notable he’s been a limited to non-participant the past four practices (since Aug. 28). Worked today on resistance cords with trainer.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) September 3, 2020
Should fans be worried about Amari Cooper?
Cooper is a professional receiver and thus puts a lot of stress on his feet. He announced in the past he has plantar fasciitis and that is not something that just disappears overnight. That specific injury involves pain and inflammation in the foot and heel.
NFL players often enter Sundays nursing some sort of injury. This is just a bad sign if Cooper is already dealing with one before any games have been played. That includes not even having to participate in any preseason games.
The Cowboys seem confident in Cooper being ready for Week 1 and it may come down to his pain tolerance and how his foot feels. If he is limited at practice but dominates during the game, the concern goes away.
But the team just gave him his huge deal and starting it off by doing side work in practice is notable. Fans should also remember his dead cap drops to just $6 million in 2022, which appears to be a cheap exit built-in for the team given his past injuries.
Gallup is a legitimate number two receiver and Lamb enters with a ton of hype and expectations. Cooper is still the top guy and losing him for any amount of time could hurt the offense in a big way.
Next. CeeDee Lamb turning heads at Cowboys camp. dark
All fans can do is go off what the Cowboys are saying. The concern is fair right now, while panic will have to hold off until there is a legitimate injury keeping Cooper off the field for games.