Cooper’s contract details.

[Hal N of Provo]

Assuming the news is true and the Cowboys want to trade him, he will be traded or cut the 16th-20th.   It’s 3 club options at 20 million a year.   How is this even a question?!? 

Amari Cooper’s contract details, salary cap impact, and bonuses

 

Written ByBen Rolfe

March 9, 2022

With Amari Cooper seemingly on his way out of Dallas, what is his contract situation and the salary cap impact of moving on?

 

What's in this article?   Click to show 

Amari Cooper’s contract with the Dallas Cowboys has been much discussed since he signed it. He is the only wide receiver ever to sign a deal worth $100 million in total. At one point, he was the highest-paid wide receiver in terms of average annual value. Let’s take a look at Cooper’s contract, his impact on the Cowboys’ salary cap, and the cost to move on from him in 2022 and beyond.

Amari Cooper’s contract details and bonuses

The Cowboys kept things pretty simple when it came to Cooper’s contract. The total value was exactly $100 million, with an average of $20 million a year. Of that, $10 million came in the form of a signing bonus, and there’s $40 million fully guaranteed overall. His 2022 salary was guaranteed for injury and becomes fully guaranteed if he is on the roster on March 20, 2022.

In terms of the breakdown, from a cap perspective, the first year was kept cheaper at $12 million. Subsequently, the number jumped to $22 million for each of the final four years. Of that, $2 million was in prorated signing bonus, with the other $10 or $20 million (depending on the year) being paid as base salary. It really was a clean and simple contract.

 

Cooper’s contract has another three years remaining

Cooper was due to be a free agent in 2020 when he signed the deal. This contract was as simple length-wise as the rest of the deal is. The contract was for five years, and Cooper has played out two of those five so far. Therefore, he has three years remaining on the deal and is due to be a free agent in 2025.

However, the structure the Cowboys put in place gave them potential outs at every stage after the first two years. In essence, this contract was a two-year deal worth $40 million, with team options for $20 million a year in every subsequent year.

 

What will it cost the Cowboys to move on from Cooper?

When the Cowboys decide to move on from Cooper and his contract, their dead money situation will be relatively low. That is the beauty of a small signing bonus and then not having restructured the deal since. The $10 million signing bonus is prorated at $2 million a year, and whenever they move on, the remaining amount will accelerate onto the cap.

Consequently, if the Cowboys move on, as was reported by Adam Schefter, it would cost them just $6 million in dead money. The only caveat to that is, if they release him, that has to be before March 20. Once that $20 million in salary becomes guaranteed, it would leave $26 million in dead money. They could still trade him after that date and leave themselves with just $6 million in dead money.

 

Any team trading for Cooper will have plenty of options. His contract will essentially be three one-year deals worth $20 million per year. After the 2022 season, that team will basically have two club options over the next two seasons. If they want to keep Cooper, he will cost $20 million. If not, they can release him for no dead money at all.

The Cowboys’ other option is to play through 2022 with Cooper. They could then release him for a $4 million dead money charge in 2023 (dropping his figure to $2 million in 2024).

[mrcoops]

With that contract structure, trading a mid-round pick for Cooper is a very worthwhile roll of the dice for the Jets.

[NYSportsKing]

6 minutes ago, mrcoops said:

With that contract structure, trading a mid-round pick for Cooper is a very worthwhile roll of the dice for the Jets.

Is 20 mil a year a slight overpay for someone of Cooper's caliber? Yes

Is it still worth trading a 4th round pick to obtain a number 1 receiver with team options 3 years in a row and a skyrocketing cap? Not to mention the possibility of being around for most of Zach's rookie deal? Sign me up.

[choon328]

1 hour ago, Hal N of Provo said:

Assuming the news is true and the Cowboys want to trade him, he will be traded or cut the 16th-20th.   It’s 3 club options at 20 million a year.   How is this even a question?!? 

Amari Cooper’s contract details, salary cap impact, and bonuses

 

Written ByBen Rolfe

March 9, 2022

With Amari Cooper seemingly on his way out of Dallas, what is his contract situation and the salary cap impact of moving on?

 

What's in this article?   Click to show 

Amari Cooper’s contract with the Dallas Cowboys has been much discussed since he signed it. He is the only wide receiver ever to sign a deal worth $100 million in total. At one point, he was the highest-paid wide receiver in terms of average annual value. Let’s take a look at Cooper’s contract, his impact on the Cowboys’ salary cap, and the cost to move on from him in 2022 and beyond.

Amari Cooper’s contract details and bonuses

The Cowboys kept things pretty simple when it came to Cooper’s contract. The total value was exactly $100 million, with an average of $20 million a year. Of that, $10 million came in the form of a signing bonus, and there’s $40 million fully guaranteed overall. His 2022 salary was guaranteed for injury and becomes fully guaranteed if he is on the roster on March 20, 2022.

In terms of the breakdown, from a cap perspective, the first year was kept cheaper at $12 million. Subsequently, the number jumped to $22 million for each of the final four years. Of that, $2 million was in prorated signing bonus, with the other $10 or $20 million (depending on the year) being paid as base salary. It really was a clean and simple contract.

 

Cooper’s contract has another three years remaining

Cooper was due to be a free agent in 2020 when he signed the deal. This contract was as simple length-wise as the rest of the deal is. The contract was for five years, and Cooper has played out two of those five so far. Therefore, he has three years remaining on the deal and is due to be a free agent in 2025.

However, the structure the Cowboys put in place gave them potential outs at every stage after the first two years. In essence, this contract was a two-year deal worth $40 million, with team options for $20 million a year in every subsequent year.

 

What will it cost the Cowboys to move on from Cooper?

When the Cowboys decide to move on from Cooper and his contract, their dead money situation will be relatively low. That is the beauty of a small signing bonus and then not having restructured the deal since. The $10 million signing bonus is prorated at $2 million a year, and whenever they move on, the remaining amount will accelerate onto the cap.

Consequently, if the Cowboys move on, as was reported by Adam Schefter, it would cost them just $6 million in dead money. The only caveat to that is, if they release him, that has to be before March 20. Once that $20 million in salary becomes guaranteed, it would leave $26 million in dead money. They could still trade him after that date and leave themselves with just $6 million in dead money.

 

Any team trading for Cooper will have plenty of options. His contract will essentially be three one-year deals worth $20 million per year. After the 2022 season, that team will basically have two club options over the next two seasons. If they want to keep Cooper, he will cost $20 million. If not, they can release him for no dead money at all.

The Cowboys’ other option is to play through 2022 with Cooper. They could then release him for a $4 million dead money charge in 2023 (dropping his figure to $2 million in 2024).

So.... you were wrong

[Hal N of Provo]

9 minutes ago, choon328 said:

So.... you were wrong

Yep

[ScarletKnight89]

I don't have a lot of confidence in JD when it comes to trades/FA. You have to build through the draft to have long term success but I hope he understands how big of a season this is for his team and especially his QB.

Signing some second tier WR because you think "his best days are ahead of him" is a big gamble. Wilson needs proven players to help him. 

With that said, FA hasn't even started yet so lets wait and see.

[Adoni Beast]

I'm not interested at all in bringing in Amari Cooper if he's cut and certainly against trading anything (including a tackling dummy for him).

If we are to trade for whatever reasons are potentially available its the 2 from Seattle:

Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf

 

[Jethead]

Still think this is a good choice for the Jets. Can't see why Dallas wouldn't trade him for a 4/5 round pick. 

[chirorob]

10 minutes ago, Hal N of Provo said:

Yep

See, just own it.

I'm wrong all the time, happens.

[bla bla bla]

I'll trade a 5th all day for Cooper even if it's just a 1 year rental to see if we hit on a 2nd round WR in the draft.

[Hal N of Provo]

10 minutes ago, chirorob said:

See, just own it.

I'm wrong all the time, happens.

Feels like you gotta be a lawyer to figure the off-season out lol.  This article cleared it up for me. 

[68JET11]

7 hours ago, ScarletKnight89 said:

I don't have a lot of confidence in JD when it comes to trades/FA.

I'll give you the FA part, but he has killed almost every trade he's had with the JETS, and given us the better end of those deals.

[BigRy56]

I really don’t see a reason why JD wouldn’t throw the Cowboys a late pick for Cooper if it was really that simple

[jamesr]

I can't imagine that Cooper will be looking to stay on his current deal if he gets traded elsewhere. Seems very team friendly but rather lacking in security for the player. Cooper is probably looking to be released rather than traded.

[bd71]

With that contract this is a no brainer.

 

[rangerous]

the obvious thing is if he's traded he may not have any say on his new team.  if he's released he can sign anywhere but it won't be for 20 million per year.  well, maybe.  6 1000 yd seasons out of 8 and he missed it last season because he was only in 15 games.

[ScarletKnight89]

9 hours ago, 68JET11 said:

I'll give you the FA part, but he has killed almost every trade he's had with the JETS, and given us the better end of those deals.

I was more referring to trades where he was looking to bring players in. When he has shipped players out, he has got great value absolutely. 

I don't think JD is going to be trading picks for proven players. 

[chirorob]

5 hours ago, jamesr said:

I can't imagine that Cooper will be looking to stay on his current deal if he gets traded elsewhere. Seems very team friendly but rather lacking in security for the player. Cooper is probably looking to be released rather than traded.

He can be looking for that, but with 3 years left he has 0.0 leverage.

[prime21]

I'm not feeling Cooper for our squad.  

[TuscanyTile2]

6 minutes ago, prime21 said:

I'm not feeling Cooper for our squad.  

Neither am I.  We need to upgrade WR but you definitely don't want to go down the wrong path (the same way we did when we signed Leveon Bell).

[the Claw]

I dunno, I’ve always thought Cooper was quite overrated. Not a bad player, but not great, and certainly not 20mil-per type guy. He’s not likely to be a thousand yard receiver here.

[slats]

5 hours ago, jamesr said:

I can't imagine that Cooper will be looking to stay on his current deal if he gets traded elsewhere. Seems very team friendly but rather lacking in security for the player. Cooper is probably looking to be released rather than traded.

I disagree. I think Cooper will be lucky if someone trades for that contract and continues to pay him as if he were a top 5 WR in the league. The structure of the deal makes it easy for any team acquiring him to cut bait at any time, which is definitely an advantage, and I will be a little surprised if he sees the end of that deal wherever he winds up. 
 
In fact, I think the opposite might be true, where the acquiring team might want to do a simple restructure to lower his $20M cap hit. 

[k-met57]

like every other half way decent player that gets kicked to the curb, he is going to want a new deal. this is irrelevant.

[FidelioJet]

You need good players...of which the Jets have none.

Cooper is a good player - do what you can acquire good players.

We have cap space and draft picks - Go get him if you can and stop worrying about the costs.

[68JET11]

1 hour ago, ScarletKnight89 said:

I was more referring to trades where he was looking to bring players in. When he has shipped players out, he has got great value absolutely. 

I don't think JD is going to be trading picks for proven players. 

Got it... understandable.

[Sperm Edwards]

1 hour ago, the Claw said:

I dunno, I’ve always thought Cooper was quite overrated. Not a bad player, but not great, and certainly not 20mil-per type guy. He’s not likely to be a thousand yard receiver here.

The flip side is that while the team's QB is getting $30MM or more less than some others, this is precisely the time you don't sweat a known quantity veteran, at a major need position, being 30% overpriced for what's ultimately just 1 season if so desired. 

Wilson concerns aside, I don't know why he couldn't be a 1000-yard receiver here. Last season showed injuries to others happen, and he was nearly a 1000-yard receiver on a team with a #1 WR and a top 5 receiving TE plus another WR2 level receiver plus another WR3 level receiver. If the reason is Wilson, then dump him and get someone else. But I can't get behind keeping the team bereft of really good to great players because they may not be dollars-per-yard as valuable as he'd be elsewhere.

I'd like the team to remove excuses asap, and not drag on the excuses for 3 seasons (which nearly led to a 4th season here for Darnold).

So yeah,

• throw a day 3 pick at Cooper;
• sign Saffold or another veteran guard;
• change veteran centers if Douglas/Saleh really want (which won't cost much anyway, as it's a $ swap);
• sign another borderline starter at tackle as Becton insurance;
• and see what else is out there at WR and TE, even if it's via another trade. 

All that before the draft. THEN the team's in a serious position to trade down from any pick slot if the next guy up isn't worth it. 

[derp]

50 minutes ago, Sperm Edwards said:

The flip side is that while the team's QB is getting $30MM or more less than some others, this is precisely the time you don't sweat a known quantity veteran, at a major need position, being 30% overpriced for what's ultimately just 1 season if so desired. 

Wilson concerns aside, I don't know why he couldn't be a 1000-yard receiver here. Last season showed injuries to others happen, and he was nearly a 1000-yard receiver on a team with a #1 WR and a top 5 receiving TE plus another WR2 level receiver plus another WR3 level receiver. If the reason is Wilson, then dump him and get someone else. But I can't get behind keeping the team bereft of really good to great players because they may not be dollars-per-yard as valuable as he'd be elsewhere.

I'd like the team to remove excuses asap, and not drag on the excuses for 3 seasons (which nearly led to a 4th season here for Darnold).

So yeah,

• throw a day 3 pick at Cooper;
• sign Saffold or another veteran guard;
• change veteran centers if Douglas/Saleh really want (which won't cost much anyway, as it's a $ swap);
• sign another borderline starter at tackle as Becton insurance;
• and see what else is out there at WR and TE, even if it's via another trade. 

All that before the draft. THEN the team's in a serious position to trade down from any pick slot if the next guy up isn't worth it. 

I get why you included it since it’s been a rumor but don’t think the third bullet is necessary or will happen - McGovern was solid and continuity on the OL is important. I’m not sure any of the guys being discussed are a clear upgrade year one with no chemistry with the current group and coming from significantly better offenses. If they do that I think fans may be happy but it’ll be a mistake in my opinion. And a sign Douglas is scrambling.

Plus Douglas hasn’t cut anyone yet, McGovern keeps the dead money situation clean for next year, and this draft class has 4 or 5 athletic centers projected day three. Easy to nab one, develop behind McGovern, and let him walk a year they may finally be able to get comp picks.

Otherwise what you outlined is absolutely what I think they should do. Throw in extending Fant too, I think that’s pretty important.

I expect something similar to happen too, though I think the WR acquisition will be more boring. But I like Cooper as a known commodity who keeps the cap situation flexible and won’t cost a lot of draft capital to acquire.

[DonCorleone]

For what it's worth, I like Cooper and I do want him here.

What’s the real reason Amari Cooper has worn out his welcome with the Dallas Cowboys? BY MAC ENGEL MARCH 10, 2022 5:00 AM 

For so many reasons, it's been an off offseason for America's Team On this episode of Cowboys Overtime, Mac Engel and Clarence Hill discuss if Jerry Jones is avoiding the media, whether Dalton Schultz is worth the franchise tag, and how the offseason has been so far for the Dallas Cowboys. BY FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM This looks personal. The inevitable departure of Amari Cooper from the Dallas Cowboys is not all about that contract. Since Mike McCarthy was hired by the Cowboys to replace Jason Garrett as head coach, Cooper showed enough of something else that a second NFL team wants him out of their locker room.

Cooper played 52 games for the Raiders before they traded him. He’s played 56 for the Cowboys. That’s not a coincidence. This is not all about Cooper’s unwillingness to get COVID vaccination shots prior to contracting the virus in the fall, which resulted in him missing two key games last November. But Cooper won 0 points with the Cowboys when he passed on the needle. That point irritated a lot of people with the Cowboys, specifically team owner Jerry Jones who voiced his displeasure on his radio show on 105.3 The Fan in early November. Cooper’s salary will be used as the reason he will be dumped, but if McCarthy wanted Cooper on his team the Cowboys could make this work. It is expected the Cowboys will cut Cooper before March 20 when his 2022 salary of $20 million would become guaranteed. They are potentially dumping a 27-year-old, No. 1 wide receiver whose arrival to the team in 2018 elevated the play of quarterback Dak Prescott, which turned him into a dramatically improved passer.

Something about this smells. Cooper is bright, thoughtful and by all accounts a decent man, but there is something about him in the machismo football world that irritates the machismo football person. He’s not with the right coach who gets him. Cooper’s first two NFL head coaches, Jack Del Rio and Jon Gruden, are your cliched, tough-guy, coachy-coach coaches. McCarthy is of a similar fabric. Cooper may have been better aligned for a Jason Garrett. McCarthy and Gruden actually worked together once as assistants at the University of Pittsburgh for one season, back in 1991. Cooper fits well on a football field, his personality in a football locker room is a squeeze. He’s a reader who plays chess, and is well aware of his life away from football, with an eye on his life after his playing career is over. It’s not hard to see how he might rub some coaches the wrong way. A lot of coaches want their players to be entirely about football. The Cowboys celebrated when they acquired Cooper from the Raiders in their trade in 2018, but there was a reason Oakland traded a legit No. 1 wide receiver. Gruden did not like Cooper. When Jerry and the Cowboys offered their 2019 first-round pick for Cooper, the Raiders were only too glad to swap. Cooper was 24, and still had two years remaining on his rookie contract, which he signed shortly after he was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 draft. The fact that the Raiders were this eager to a trade player with those qualities was telling, and a warning. According to people familiar with Cooper’s NFL trajectory, the Raiders’ coaching staff thought he was soft, that he could be roughed up, easily knocked off his routes, and didn’t want to go to certain areas on the field. Among other concerns. Since coming to the Cowboys in October of 2018, Cooper showed none of those particular traits. He’s played through some nagging ailments, and been a reliable, durable pro. In 2019, his first full season with the Cowboys, he had a career season with 79 receptions for 1,189 yards, and eight touchdowns. Garrett was let go after the the 2019 season ended. On Jan. 7, 2020, the Cowboys hired McCarthy. On March 16, 2020, the Cowboys handed Cooper a five-year, $100 million contract. The entire 2020 season was a COVID-covered mess, the Cowboys were terrible, but Cooper finished with 92 receptions for 1,114 yards despite playing without Prescott for most of the season. Garrett Gilbert, Andy Dalton and Ben DiNucci all served as starting quarterbacks. Then, 2021. Cooper was the No. 1 receiver for the best offense in the NFL, and yet he caught 65 passes for 865 yards. Hardly worth $20 million. McCarthy has been with Cooper for two seasons, and, for some reason, this is not working. There is a reason why two NFL teams that essentially used a first-round draft pick on Cooper are dumping him before his 28th birthday. It’s not productivity. It’s not ability. It’s not injuries. It’s not the contract. There is something about Amari Cooper that coaches like Jack Del Rio, Jon Gruden and now Mike McCarthy do not want in their locker rooms.

Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mac-engel/article259229425.html#storylink=cpy

[Sperm Edwards]

25 minutes ago, derp said:

I get why you included it since it’s been a rumor but don’t think the third bullet is necessary or will happen - McGovern was solid and continuity on the OL is important. I’m not sure any of the guys being discussed are a clear upgrade year one with no chemistry with the current group and coming from significantly better offenses. If they do that I think fans may be happy but it’ll be a mistake in my opinion. And a sign Douglas is scrambling.

Plus Douglas hasn’t cut anyone yet, McGovern keeps the dead money situation clean for next year, and this draft class has 4 or 5 athletic centers projected day three. Easy to nab one, develop behind McGovern, and let him walk a year they may finally be able to get comp picks.

Otherwise what you outlined is absolutely what I think they should do. Throw in extending Fant too, I think that’s pretty important.

I expect something similar to happen too, though I think the WR acquisition will be more boring. But I like Cooper as a known commodity who keeps the cap situation flexible and won’t cost a lot of draft capital to acquire.

I included McGovern solely because that's been the rumor. I'm otherwise perfectly fine with having him return, and do exactly as you outline (as I've said the same over the time when there were still mocks here & elsewhere that had the Jets drafting a center - a center - in the top 10 picks of the draft).

If there's a need (locker room/huddle need) to move on from him, I wouldn't worry about dead money for next year unless there's a serious desire to swap a player out. It's not necessarily terrible to have a really good $12MM/yr center locked in for 2023, as there's no guarantee any such groomed draftee would be adequate himself. 

The names I threw in were just names; there are others to swap in instead, as I admit I'm handicapped in not knowing what Douglas knows about who's available, how much it'd cost, and who's not available at any serious price.

[derp]

26 minutes ago, Sperm Edwards said:

I included McGovern solely because that's been the rumor. I'm otherwise perfectly fine with having him return, and do exactly as you outline (as I've said the same over the time when there were still mocks here & elsewhere that had the Jets drafting a center - a center - in the top 10 picks of the draft).

If there's a need (locker room/huddle need) to move on from him, I wouldn't worry about dead money for next year unless there's a serious desire to swap a player out. It's not necessarily terrible to have a really good $12MM/yr center locked in for 2023, as there's no guarantee any such groomed draftee would be adequate himself. 

The names I threw in were just names; there are others to swap in instead, as I admit I'm handicapped in not knowing what Douglas knows about who's available, how much it'd cost, and who's not available at any serious price.

That’s fair. I still think continuity wise and cap wise hanging on to him and drafting a replacement is a more prudent move. They know what they’ve got, he’s played in the system, played next to AVT, and he was fine. Plus if they sign a guy there’s no need to draft someone day three. McGovern-rookie is better depth wise than FA, gives you continuity, and there’s upside for three years of starting caliber play for a day three contract which would be huge.

Realistically it’s splitting hairs between the two scenarios talent wise - but one is a more calculating, long-term, preserve flexibility, build young depth move and the other is a little more “I need to do something”. Given Douglas has always done the former I don’t think a shift to the latter would be a good thing. If he turns out not to be the guy I’d rather he leaves the roster like Idzik did than Maccagnan.

[#27TheDominator]

21 hours ago, Adoni Beast said:

I'm not interested at all in bringing in Amari Cooper if he's cut and certainly against trading anything (including a tackling dummy for him).

If we are to trade for whatever reasons are potentially available its the 2 from Seattle:

Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf

 

I like those guys, but Metcalf does not strike me as a great fit for what they are trying to do.  I could be wrong, but I would prefer Cooper, particularly since Metcalf will presumably cost more. 

The real question is why this deal hasn't been done yet.  Are the Cowboys playing teams against each other?  With 3 one year guarantees, it seems like he's worth a mid to late rounder, so presumably there is a low level bidding war.  Guess will find out in the next couple of weeks. 

[derp]

Just now, #27TheDominator said:

I like those guys, but Metcalf does not strike me as a great fit for what they are trying to do.  I could be wrong, but I would prefer Cooper, particularly since Metcalf will presumably cost more. 

The real question is why this deal hasn't been done yet.  Are the Cowboys playing teams against each other?  With 3 one year guarantees, it seems like he's worth a mid to late rounder, so presumably there is a low level bidding war.  Guess will find out in the next couple of weeks. 

I think it behooves them to wait. Lots of WR needs, someone’s going to get left out. Teams probably wanted to see if any of Williams/Godwin/Adams happened to shake loose as unlikely as that was. Ridley was an option before too. Saw speculation they created room to wait longer. Agree it seems like some team would trade - though not a lot have the space to do so and have any other cap room currently.

[the Claw]

9 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

The flip side is that while the team's QB is getting $30MM or more less than some others, this is precisely the time you don't sweat a known quantity veteran, at a major need position, being 30% overpriced for what's ultimately just 1 season if so desired. 

Wilson concerns aside, I don't know why he couldn't be a 1000-yard receiver here. Last season showed injuries to others happen, and he was nearly a 1000-yard receiver on a team with a #1 WR and a top 5 receiving TE plus another WR2 level receiver plus another WR3 level receiver. If the reason is Wilson, then dump him and get someone else. But I can't get behind keeping the team bereft of really good to great players because they may not be dollars-per-yard as valuable as he'd be elsewhere.

I'd like the team to remove excuses asap, and not drag on the excuses for 3 seasons (which nearly led to a 4th season here for Darnold).

So yeah,

• throw a day 3 pick at Cooper;
• sign Saffold or another veteran guard;
• change veteran centers if Douglas/Saleh really want (which won't cost much anyway, as it's a $ swap);
• sign another borderline starter at tackle as Becton insurance;
• and see what else is out there at WR and TE, even if it's via another trade. 

All that before the draft. THEN the team's in a serious position to trade down from any pick slot if the next guy up isn't worth it. 

I get that and don’t disagree per se. I’ve just never been impressed with this particular player.