Dallas Cowboys: 3 Reasons to re-sign Amari Cooper before Ezekiel Elliott

It’s not just Dak Prescott’s contract extension that takes priority over Ezekiel Elliott, but Amari Cooper’s – here’s why the Dallas Cowboys should re-sign coop first

The debate is nothing new here in Dallas. Since the offseason, Cowboys Nation has been debating whether it’s Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, or Ezekiel Elliott who should take priority in contract extensions. While even the haters have largely conceded Dak is the Dallas Cowboys top priority, many still consider Zeke the lychpin of the offense and as such, most in need of a new deal.

Instead of getting into another debate about the impact and overall replaceability of Zeke, let’s focus on Amari Cooper and why he’s so dang important to this offense. Because at the end of the day, it’s Coop, not Zeke, who should be extended after Dak.

Here’s three reasons why Amari Cooper’s contract takes priority of Ezekiel Elliott’s:

Reason No. 1: Time towards free agency

This is a pretty easy point to make here. Amari Cooper is entering the fifth year on his rookie deal. In roughly six months he’ll be an unrestricted free agent. SIX MONTHS! Zeke, on the other hand is under contract for the next two seasons.

If Zeke holds out beyond August 6th, that unrestricted date gets pushed an additional year, meaning Zeke doesn’t become a free agent until 2022. There’s really no reason to worry about Zeke committing to an extended leave of absence because he ‘d be shooting himself in the foot. That doesn’t mean such a scenario is impossible – I mean look at what LeVeon Bell did last year – but it’s absolutely detrimental to Zeke’s earnings if he prolongs his protest.

Besides, Coop is playing this whole situation perfectly with Dallas. This is the kind of behavior you want to reward.