49ers roster: 4 better options than acquiring Cowboys WR Amari Cooper
By Peter Panacy
49ers option No. 1: Do nothing on Amari Cooper front
Kind of an umbrella statement here, as the Niners not even kicking the proverbial tires on Amari Cooper would prompt their other options. But it’s a valid point to be made first nonetheless.
Cooper, who made an average of $20 million with the Cowboys the last two years, has three more years on his current contract with $22 million cap hits in 2022, 2023 and 2024, according to Over the Cap. Any team trading for Cooper would have to absorb $16 million this season, and the fact San Francisco is currently $4.4 million over the cap right now puts a dent into that idea.
Sure, should the 49ers trade quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo soon, they’d free up $25.5 million and have enough to take on Cooper’s contract.
But that would seriously inhibit the Niners from making other much-needed moves, such as potentially re-signing Pro Bowl left guard Laken Tomlinson or safety Jaquiski Tartt on a free-agent deal.
Plus, without first-round picks in 2022 or 2023 because of the trade for Trey Lance, San Francisco lacks trade ammunition anyway.
Above all that, someone like Cooper should have substantial interest if Dallas was to release him outright, only pushing up the cost of acquiring him on a new deal that’d likely be far beyond what the 49ers could budget.
The Niners doing absolutely nothing here would be a simple option, prompting the remaining options here.