Cowboys: Jerry Jones frustrated with Amari Cooper, discusses contract

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is frustrated with some of the contracts on the team, and his current cap predicament. That includes wide receiver Amari Cooper.

Jones wanted to see more out of Cooper down the stretch, especially given the money he’s paying the Alabama product. The Dallas owner didn’t hide from that fact in a weekly radio segment.

“Amari Cooper should take half the field with him when he runs a route…a whole bunch of that defense ought to have to honor Cooper. He ought to be able to catch it in the middle when they’re going with him. Others do. You throw to people that are covered all the time,” Jones said.

That criticism is not thinly-veiled at all.

Amari Cooper contract: How much do Cowboys pay him?

Cooper is set to make $60 million over the next three seasons. The Cowboys do have an out this offseason, but are unlikely to use it.

“The reason those contracts are being discussed is because they have two sides to them: one’s got it coming and the other’s got to pay it,” said Jones. ”The one that’s got it coming is going to go out and perform usually to the level of the contract. That’s usually the way I think about those contracts.”

Jones failed to say he regretted giving Cooper a large contract, but his comment does suggest he’d like to see more from the supposed top option for Dak Prescott. He finished the year with just 865 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, though he started only 14 games.

If Jerry has anyone to blame, it’s himself. Cooper’s production (at the time) warranted such a deal, and therefore Jones invested. That’s his fault.