By Alex Barth, 985TheSportsHub.com
Nine days out from NFL Free Agency officially beginning, we have our biggest non-Tom Brady rumor of the Patriots offseason.
According to Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman, the Patriots have been ‘connected’ to Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper.
This lines up with multiple reports last week that the Patriots are looking for a home run type trade or signing on offense to entice Tom Brady to come back to New England.
Cooper certainly fits that bill. The 25-year-old Alabama product caught 79 passes for 1,189 yards and eight touchdowns with the Cowboys last season. At 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, Cooper can play multiple receiver roles with elite skill, something the Patriots would certainly be able to take advantage of.
Still, a lot would have to happen to get Cooper to Foxborough. First, the Cowboys would have to let him walk, which would be nothing short of a minor shock given the way their offense looked with him at times last year. Then, the Patriots would have to figure out a way to fit a deal for Cooper in their salary cap plans. Landing the star receiver would probably cost the Patriots somewhere around $20 million a year.
In an offseason where the Patriots have reportedly pursued receivers like Stefon Diggs and Odell Beckham, Cooper is a logical target. If he actually gets to the open market, the Patriots should absolutely be in the conversation.