Dallas Cowboys: Why Amari Cooper, not Beasley, may be the future at slot

The Dallas Cowboys upgraded their receiver ranks by bringing Amari Cooper in, but his entry could signal Cole Beasley’s exit. Here’s why…

Whether you like the move or not, Amari Cooper is a big part of the Dallas Cowboys’ future. The 24-year-old receiver from Oakland comes to Dallas for the low, low cost of one first round draft pick (a little bit of sarcasm there). It’s that investment that cements his place in the Dallas Cowboys’ future.

While his contract is set to expire following the 2019 NFL season, it’s  a forgone conclusion he’ll re-sign with the Cowboys at some point. Cole Beasley, on the other hand, faces a significantly more uncertain future.

The 30-year-old slot receiver extraordinaire becomes a free agent at the conclusion of this season. Despite only having a modest 33 receptions for 350 yards this season, Cole Beasley is looking to get paid this winter:

That’s where the newly acquired Amari Cooper comes in. In his first three NFL seasons (before his dysfunctional tour with Gruden), Cooper played 18 percent of his snaps inside in the slot. While that isn’t a very large percentage, it’s noteworthy what he was able to do with such limited opportunities.

His 2.65 yards per route from the slot vs 1.62 outside are hardly a rarity in the NFL. Michael Thomas (who lines up in the slot 28 percent of the time) and Odell Beckham (who spends 30 percent of his time in the slot) also see significant improvement when operating inside.

Offensive coordinators are savvy to the opportunities the slot presents. With the ability to release in either direction, it’s almost impossible for a single defender to effectively cover an average slot man, let alone a bona fide No. 1 WR playing inside.

See also: Adam Thielen (the best WR in the NFL) who plays over 60 percent of his snaps from the slot.

Appropriating funds

The salary cap means we cannot simply spend as we please. It dictates the maximum amount teams can spend, thus forcing them to prioritize players and positions based on cost just as much as worthiness. In other words, teams are forced to let good players walk so the money may be used elsewhere.

This is important for Dallas Cowboys fans to understand because it’s the only reason Cole Beasley would be allowed to walk this coming offseason. Beasley’s detractors will point to his average numbers and his ripe age and say losing him is no big deal. But those of us who watch the film every week will say the numbers do not accurately reflect his ability and can’t be used as a barometer for his worth.

We’ll dive deep into Beasley’s tremendous ability at a later date. But I cannot understate how talented he is in his routes and how unguadable he is on any given play. If anyone deserves blame for his pedestrian production, it’s the limited routes he’s told to run, and the pass-adverse offense in which he plays.

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Tough decisions

In coming years, the Dallas Cowboys face some major decisions on some major contracts. Not only do Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and Amari Cooper expect ginormous second contracts, but DeMarcus Lawrence, Byron Jones, and Jaylon Smith all look like they’ll be breaking the bank in the next couple seasons as well.

There just isn’t enough cash to go around for everyone to get what they want (and deserve). That’s why the Dallas Cowboys may decide to let their 30-year-old slot man walk out the door. He may be among the best in the game inside, but for only 4-5 targets per game, the money could be better used elsewhere.

If the Dallas Cowboys eventually re-sign Amari Cooper, they could alleviate the loss of Bease by increasing Cooper’s time spent inside (again, like the Vikings do with Thielen). This is especially doable if Michael Gallup continues his progression on the outside.

Cole Beasley may not be demanding Jarvis Landry ($15M per year) or Randell Cobb ($10M per year) level money, but he’s going to be costly – think 3-4 years at $7-8M per year range. His ability says he’s worth it but with on a team like the Dallas Cowboys, that money may be better used elsewhere. And Amari Cooper’s ability to play the slot helps make that possible.

• Published on 11/02/2018 at 12:08 PM
• Last updated at 11/02/2018 at 12:08 PM