The Dallas Cowboys paid a first-round draft pick to the Oakland Raiders for Amari Cooper, but they have yet to discuss paying the wide receiver who has helped turn around their season.
The sides haven’t had any talks regarding a contract extension for the wide receiver, who has given Dallas yards after the catch, touchdowns, and renewed hope in the NFC East, sources said.
Considering the Cowboys surrendered a first-round pick for Cooper, some NFL executives thought they would have tried to lock him up in advance of the late-October trade. But the Cowboys felt that with Cooper’s fifth-year option and then the franchise tag after that, there was no need.
Now, Dallas (6-5) feels as if the price on Cooper — who has 22 receptions for 349 yards and three TDs since joining the team — is rising by the week.
The 24-year-old has elevated his game, making Dallas realize that it will be costly to retain him — a cost that’s been increasing since it acquired him. Cooper still is on his Raiders rookie contract. Oakland picked up the fifth-year option that ties Cooper to Dallas for next season. Typically teams do deals with players well before that fifth-year option comes into play, but the Cowboys and Cooper have yet to have any talks regarding a new deal, despite some speculation that they have.
The sides are expected to commence contract talks after this season, a source said, and Dallas wants to pay Cooper. But there haven’t been any inroads yet.