Cowboys: CeeDee Lamb makes strong pitch to keep Amari Cooper

Before Super Bowl LVI, Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb made a compelling case as to why the team should fight to keep Amari Cooper. 

Amari Cooper was seen as a bust with the Oakland Raiders, but the Dallas Cowboys proved that the black and silver just never utilized him properly. Once paired with Dak Prescott, Cooper became the star that the No. 4 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft was destined to become.

Now, it seems that Cooper and the Cowboys are headed for their own split in an offseason rife with painful NFL breakups, and the team has done little to quell concerns. When Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones was asked point-blank as to whether or not fans would see Cooper come fall, this is what Jones had to say:

“It’s too early for me to address that yet. I mean, we’re continuing to have conversations.”

It may be too early for Jones to publicly address the situation, but during the media week leading up to Super Bowl LVI, fellow Cowboys wideout CeeDee Lamb made a compelling argument as to why the Cowboys need Cooper.

“I feel like he goes unappreciated off of small things, because he does the small things right,” Lamb explained. “I hope they understand that we need at least two of them out there. We are very fortunate to have three of them. Playing out there with MG, Coop, and then having Zeke and TP, the list can go on. I was blessed to be able to contribute in that offense.”

CeeDee Lamb believes Amari Cooper is “unappreciated” for his talent

As with many breakups, finances are a major factor in the acrimony between Cooper and the Cowboys. Cooper signed a five-year, $100 million contract extension in 2020, but his performance in 2021 didn’t garner the biggest base salary among wide receivers in the past season. If the Cowboys do move on from Cooper, they could save $16 million in cap space.

Jones’ remarks about Zeke underscore the team’s disappointment in Cooper’s production. Although it was “too early” to announce a continued commitment to Cooper, Jones glowed over how Zeke fared in the 2021 season.

“I want Zeke on my team,” Jones said. “You talk about playing through some injuries, some things that are hard — I mean, he is a competitor. I think he’s a damn good running back, and I think he’s going to help us win this year. Obviously, his contract, his money is guaranteed. He’s going to be here, no question. We’re fortunate to have him.”

As for Cooper, it looks like we’ll have to wait.