Cowboys' Stephen Jones: 'It’s too early' to address future of WR Amari Cooper

Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones raised eyes last month when he publicly expressed his frustration with the play of wide receiver Amari Cooper throughout the 2021 season, but fellow Dallas receiver CeeDee Lamb went to bat for his teammate during Super Bowl week and said he wants the club to keep Cooper for at least one more campaign. 

Likely the biggest reason a parting of the ways may be in the cards is that Cooper's salary of $20 million for the next season becomes fully guaranteed on March 20. As Charean Williams noted for Pro Football Talk, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones was asked Monday if he envisions Cooper remaining with the organization past what seems to be a looming deadline by The Athletic's Jon Machota. 

"It’s too early for me to address that," Jones responded. Jones also added he did not "want to address" whether or not Dallas had spoken with Cooper about possibly restructuring his deal to offer the club salary-cap relief. 

Per ESPN stats, Cooper finished the 2021 regular season second on the Cowboys with 865 receiving yards, tied for second with 104 targets, third with 68 catches, and tied for first with eight receiving touchdowns. Earlier this month, Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine linked the Cleveland Browns with a trade that would land them Cooper if the Cowboys are ready to move on from the four-time Pro Bowl selection.