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Dalton Schultz

Amari Cooper Not Drawing Trade Interest

March 4th, 2022 at 3:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

When attached to his rookie contract, Amari Cooper commanded a first-round pick in a trade. The Cowboys, who sent the Raiders their 2019 first ahead of the 2018 deadline, are not seeing nearly as much interest now that Cooper is tethered to a high-end receiver deal.

The Cowboys will try to trade Cooper, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes, but the veteran wideout has not drawn much interest. Even with teams having known the pricey wideout’s availability for weeks now, Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson notes teams are not lining up to acquire his current contract (Twitter links). Cooper’s deal runs through 2024 and carries a $22MM cap number for this season. One receiver-needy team informed Robinson it has no interest in Cooper at this price. If no reasonable trade offer emerges, the Cowboys intend to cut Cooper.

In recent years, the draft has begun to provide teams with quality value at receiver, with the past few classes being flush with pass-catching help. With those rookies tied to low-cost deals for at least three seasons, value for players like Cooper — who signed a five-year, $100MM deal in 2020 — diminishes.

The Cowboys moving Cooper off their roster before March 20 saves them $16MM, funds that could be allocated to some of the team’s impending free agents. Cooper’s $20MM base salary becomes fully guaranteed on that fifth day of the 2022 league year. The team is interested in retaining Dalton Schultz, and Robinson adds it weighed Cooper’s cost with the ability to keep Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson and potentially Randy Gregory (Twitter links). Wilson, Gallup’s injury replacement in 2021, joins Gallup and Gregory in being on track for free agency. To go through with this plan, the Cowboys ($13.4MM over the cap) will need to make more moves to free up space.

Gallup potentially being available at a slight discount due to his ACL tear benefits the Cowboys, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes, potentially factoring into the team’s plan. Retaining Gallup would be a cheaper option than keeping Cooper, though losing the latter would stand to put more pressure on CeeDee Lamb, who has benefited from defenses’ attention to Cooper. The Cooper-or-Gallup long-term choice has been on the team’s radar for a while now, and it appears a decision has been made.

Despite having played seven seasons, Cooper is just 27. He would certainly draw extensive interest on the open market. The prospect of the Packers franchise-tagging Davante Adams and the Buccaneers using a second tag on Chris Godwin would enhance Cooper’s value, if the Cowboys indeed release him. Cooper is a four-time Pro Bowler who has posted five 1,000-yard seasons.

Latest On Cowboys’ TE Situation

March 3rd, 2022 at 3:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Blake Jarwin did well to capitalize on his free agency, signing a four-year deal worth $22MM to stay a Cowboy in 2020. Injuries have since disrupted the veteran tight end’s career. His latest could be a career-threatening setback.

Jarwin recently underwent a hip surgery that has his status for the 2022 season in doubt, according to the Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken, who adds this operation is considered uncommon for NFL players (Twitter link). Jarwin is not expected to be ready by the start of next season. This should point the Cowboys toward prioritizing free agent-to-be Dalton Schultz.

Indeed, Schultz is in Dallas’ plans, with Gehlken adding (via Twitter) the team is interested in retaining the breakthrough pass catcher. Schultz, who caught 78 passes for 808 yards and eight touchdowns, is expected to generate significant free agency interest. This could make him a tag candidate. The tight end tag is expected to come in at nearly $11MM. This would be a huge bump for Schultz, who totaled the most receiving yards by a Cowboys tight end since Jason Witten‘s 2013 season.

The PUP list or a release reside as Cowboys options for Jarwin, who has two years remaining on his deal. Jarwin would be due injury protection if cut, with Gehlken adding that would mean the Cowboys paying $2MM of his $4.5MM 2022 salary. Jarwin, 27, suffered a torn ACL in September 2020 and then encountered his hip problem in November of last year.

Schultz, 25, arrived in Dallas as a 2018 fourth-round pick. By making it to free agency, he would join a host of starting tight ends on this year’s market. Rob Gronkowski, Zach Ertz, Mike Gesicki David Njoku, C.J. Uzomah and O.J. Howard are among the unattached tight ends this year.

Could The Cowboys Tag Randy Gregory Or Dalton Schultz?

February 22nd, 2022 at 9:55am CST by Adam La Rose

Two of the most important pending free agents in Dallas are defensive end Randy Gregory and tight end Dalton Schultz. As ESPN’s Todd Archer writes, each could be franchise tag candidates, as the team faces numerous tough roster decisions. 

[Related: Surgery Update For Cowboys’ Gregory]

Gregory, despite being 29, is set to hit the open market for the first time in his career. After dealing with suspensions and injuries (including a knee problem that required recent surgery), he likely earned himself a payday in 2021, since he posted six sacks (which tied for a career high), along with three forced fumbles in 12 games. Along with DeMarcus Lawrence – who was himself tagged twice by the team, before ultimately signing a long-term extension – and Micah Parsons, Gregory was part of a dominant pass rush for the Cowboys this season.

Archer notes that the tag number for defensive ends is likely to be around $20MM. In part because of that high figure, he writes that “the Cowboys’ hope is that standing by Gregory through his off-field issues… will help them in securing a favorable long-term deal”.

As for Schultz, Archer believes a tag is more likely. The 25-year-old has grown into an important offensive contributor in the last two seasons, especially so in 2021, where he notched 78 receptions for 808 yards and eight touchdowns. A franchise tag for Schultz would cost the team just under $11MM, which is less than what Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry received when they signed with the Patriots in 2021, and, quite possibly, some of the other pending free agents at the position could get this year.

Tagging either one would, of course, leave the team in the position of needing to commit long-term to the other. Given the fact that, as Archer points out, Dallas is currently over the cap by more than $20MM, tough, there will inevitably be holes in the roster to be filled if the Cowboys are to remain Super Bowl contenders.

Cowboys Notes: Collins, Jones, Swaim, WRs

August 25th, 2018 at 3:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys boast more defensive line depth than they have in the recent past, and they are expecting to have one of their starters back in time for the regular season. Executive VP Stephen Jones expects Maliek Collins to be ready to go by Week 1. Jones indicated during a Saturday radio interview with 105.3 KRLD-FM (via the Dallas Morning News) that Collins, who suffered another foot injury this offseason but was activated from the PUP list last week, may well be on a pitch count upon returning. He may no longer be a starter, however, with Tyrone Crawford having moved to defensive tackle. Crawford and Antwaun Woods are currently Dallas’ inside starters. Collins has started 30 of the 32 games he’s played since arriving as a third-round pick, so this would create some depth — something Jones said isn’t as prevalent at defensive tackle as it is at end — inside.

Here’s the latest out of Dallas:

  • Stephen Jones dismissed the prospect of Byron Jones returning to safety due to the team’s situation there. Byron Jones is now a cornerback, with new secondary coach Kris Richard preferring taller corners who can press, and Stephen Jones has praised the development the former first-round safety’s made at his new position.
  • Kavon Frazier is now working as Dallas’ starting strong safety, replacing the injured Xavier Woods for the time being, and that’s resulted in Jeff Heath moving to free safety, Calvin Watkins of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The Cowboys do not view the recently signed Jeron Johnson as a starter but instead more of a depth piece behind the current first-stringers. Watkins writes the Cowboys discussed George Iloka, who opted for the Vikings on a league-minimum agreement, but liked Johnson because of his positional flexibility. Stephen Jones hinted at (Twitter link, via the Morning News’ Jon Machota) another safety potentially being added after preseason cuts commence.
  • While the Cowboys discussed Earl Thomas with the Seahawks, they did not replace Jason Witten with a high- or medium-profile player. Geoff Swaim, a 2015 seventh-round pick with nine career catches, will replace the future Hall of Famer in the starting lineup, per Watkins, who adds 2017 UDFA Blake Jarwin is the No. 2 tight end. Rico Gathers may not have a way onto the roster, with Watkins expecting Dallas to carry three tight ends. The Cowboys drafted Dalton Schultz in the fourth round, and he almost certainly will be the No. 3 player here.
  • Stephen Jones dropped an interesting hint about what the Cowboys may be planning with their reconfigured wide receiver corps. The team may choose to carry more than six at this spot. “Traditionally we’ve kept five or six receivers. But if I’m a betting man, I think that ends up being more than five or six,” Jones said (Twitter link, via Machota) of how the Cowboys plan to handle their Week 1 roster. Watkins views Allen Hurns, Cole Beasley, Tavon Austin, Terrance Williams and third-round rookie Michael Gallup as locks. UFA addition Deonte Thompson and second-year man Noah Brown are currently dealing with injuries, but it doesn’t look like they’re out of the running as a result.

Cowboys Sign 8 Draft Choices

May 11th, 2018 at 4:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys now have all but one of their nine 2018 draft choices signed. Headlined by linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, Dallas reached agreements with everyone but third-round wide receiver Michael Gallup on Friday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports. Here’s the full list of signees:

The structure of the Boise State product’s contract slightly held up the team’s proceedings with its top draft investment, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill (Twitter link), but he’s now signed up. Vander Esch will earn approximately $11.847MM and collect a $6.696MM signing bonus.

Vander Esch met with numerous teams that held picks in the middle of the first round, and despite needs at both pass-catching positions, the Cowboys selected the Mountain West Conference standout. Connor Williams also didn’t play a position of dire need, given Dallas’ three All-Pro linemen, but he’s now in the mix for the team’s left guard spot.

Despite being unsigned, Gallup is working out at the Cowboys’ rookie minicamp on Friday. Many third-round picks around the league have yet to sign. This is an annual tradition due to the CBA’s gray area regarding third-rounders’ compensation.