NFL Analyst Says Patriots Are Favorites To Land Pro Bowl Player

The New England Patriots are the favorites to land wide receiver Amari Cooper if he becomes available during the upcoming free agency period.

Amid reports that the Dallas Cowboys were expected to cut Cooper, ESPN analyst Louis Riddick said the Patriots were the best fit for the four-time Pro Bowl selection.

“I think this has New England Patriots written all over it because they really need someone who has No. 1-wide receiver capability in the form of Amari Cooper,” ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick said on SportsCenter Sunday (March 6) via Boston.com.

On Friday (March 4), league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the Cowboys were "likely" to release Cooper.

The 27-year-old is due $20 million in fuly guaranteed money on March 20, the fifth day of the official new NFL year.

Dallas signed Cooper to a five-year, $100 million extension in March 2020, but designed the contract in a way in which it would only be penalized a small amount should it exit the deal after two seasons.

While Cooper has shown signs of his first-round potential, Riddick believes he could be eve better with the right situation, which he believes New England presents, specifically with second-year quarterback and fellow former University of Alabama standout Mac Jones.

“The issue with Amari is consistency,” Riddick said. “This issue with Amari is getting him to do this over 17 games. That’s two teams now that have said, ‘Look, you’re good, but you’re just not worth the money we paid you that was really based on projecting you to be a guy who was a 90-, 100-catch guy per year. He just hasn’t really been able to really dial in and tap into his athletic ability and his football-playing ability at that level.

“New England usually pulls it out of people in a way that many other people aren’t able to. Look, for Mac Jones, this would be the perfect kind of weapon he needs on the outside to go along with a very strong running game and one of the best receiving tight ends in Hunter Henry.”

Cooper would count $6 million against the salary cap for the Cowboys if the team does, in fact, release him.

Dallas is currently projected to be more than $21 million over the cap as several notable players enter free agency including defensive end Randy Gregory, tight end Dalton Schultz, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch and safety Jayron Kearse.

Cooper recorded 865 yards and eight touchdowns on 68 receptions during 15 appearances, which included two 100-yard games during the first seven weeks and none in his final eight games of the 2021 NFL season.

The former University of Alabama standout was also limited to just two receptions in three games and three catches in one game, while also missing two games in 2021 after testing positive for COVID-19.