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Running back Ezekiel Elliott played a role in the Dallas Cowboys, swapping top wide receiver Amari Cooper for the Cleveland Browns.
When the NFL offseason began, there was talk that the Dallas Cowboys were moving on from star wide receiver Amari Cooper as a way to free up cap space that had a hit of $ 20 million. While it was about to be released, reports indicated that the Cowboys wanted to see if they could orchestrate a trade with a team interested in Cooper’s services.
On Saturday, the Cowboys traded Cooper and a sixth-round draft pick for the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2022 and a sixth-round pick.
The Cowboys freed up the cap space they wanted, but they lost their best weapon in the passing game as a result. The move had to be made due to the reversal of Ezekiel Elliott’s albatross of a contract.
Ezekiel Elliott’s contract guilt in Amari Cooper’s trade
Elliott, who Dallas picked with the fourth overall pick in 2016, shone early in his NFL career. But then Elliott held out for a new contract in the 2019 offseason. Sure enough, Jerry Jones owns the bed to make sure one of the attack’s best weapons at the time was on the list.
The official deal was a six-year, $ 90 million contract extension. That contract has since hampered the Cowboys’ consumables.
While getting Elliott’s contract out of the books would be a good idea at first thought, there’s no way Dallas’ front office would be able to do that. Why? Well, Elliott has a $ 30.8 million shot. So that’s why he’s on the list for the 2022 season.
The Cooper deal was not the only move Dallas made to free up cap space. They also had to release kicker Greg Zuerlein and tight-end Blake Jarwin. Not only that, but they are reportedly also looking to swap offensive tackle La’el Collins.
The Cowboys will now have to find a way to add more weapons in the passing game with Cooper away. Perhaps the best and most affordable way to do that is by spending their first-round pick this year on one of the best wide receivers available when they are on the clock.
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