Philadelphia Eagles: Does Amari Cooper make the Cowboys better?
Amari Cooper could be a problem
By Pete Long
Let’s get this out-of-the-way: A first round pick is a stretch for Amari Cooper.
The second round pick that the Eagles reportedly offered could’ve been worth it but Jerry Jones outbid them. The only thing that matters now is that, in a season that took yet another turn for the worse this past weekend, the Eagles will now have to face the former Raider twice a year.
Cooper is a freak of nature and his athleticism equips the former Bama standout with his multifaceted repertoire. Similar to Alshon Jeffery, cooper resembled a feisty power forward going up for a board on the hardwood when Derek Carr threw one up for grabs. Jump balls are typically 50/50 plays but with Cooper, chances are he’s reeling it in.
More frightening to me is Cooper’s threat to burn you deep. Early today I was watching highlights from his time in Oakland and with each go-route for 30-plus yards he brought in, my confidence in the Eagles ability to handle Dallas wavered.
The breaking point for me is Cooper’s ggo-tomove, the reason he is able to break away for the big play, his man source of separation. It’s the all too familiar double move. The stop and go. The bait and switch. The absolute worst aspect of this mind altering revelation is that it came on the hands of a player all too familiar with the wrong end of the move. Ours truly, Jalen Mills.
The play, which came in a less than attractive Christmas Day victory last season to clinch home field advantage through the playoffs, sent shivers from the back of my neck to the base of my heels and everywhere in between.
Mills, resembling a fish latching on to a hook without the worm, bit hard on Cooper’s first step towards a slant which he quickly re routed back to the outside. Jalen stumbled to catch his footing and regain balance as Cooper created five yards of separation by the time the ball entered his wide open arms and stretched that to 10 as Mills exited the viewing screen and Cooper waltzed into the end zone for a touchdown.
Fast forward a few plays in the highlight reel and it was Mills again, this time alongside the always reliable Corey Graham, who fell victim to one of Cooper’s patented jump balls on a severely under thrown 50 yard duck from Carr.
That is why I fear the impact this trade will have on the NFC East race.