Whatever the Raiders thought of Amari Cooper, the receiver has proved them wrong. Or more correctly, as Cooper likes to say, he’s proved the Cowboys right.
Cooper looks every bit worth the first-round draft pick the Cowboys gave up for him in an October trade with the Raiders.
“He is such a complete player for us,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “When you see him not make much, not have many plays, not have many targets early and then turn around and change the game like that, then you realize what kind of impact that he can have. So I’m proud for everybody out there. The first think I saw Dak smiling, ‘Boy, we like that [Cooper], buddy!’ So it’s a good feeling.”
Cooper caught 10 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns, including the 15-yard game-winner in overtime against the Eagles on Sunday.
“I feel like that’s who I am,” Cooper said. “I feel like I can make those plays to help my team win. You know I did it in college a lot. In Oakland, I did it sometimes. But my whole goal is just to be more consistent and to be able to provide that type of play for my team every week.”
Cooper made 22 catches for 280 yards and a touchdown in six games for the Raiders this season. He has 40 catches for 642 yards and six touchdowns in six games for the Cowboys.
In the past three games, Cooper has 26 catches for 473 yards and five touchdowns.
“When I thought of playing in the NFL as a youth, this is the perfect example of that,” Cooper said. “For everything from the city, the facilities, winning, watching that defense out there, watching that offense out there, it’s a dream come true.”
Cooper heard all the talk that the Cowboys overpaid for him. He heard the whispers from Oakland that he wasn’t worth the price.
“Of course,” Cooper said. “I mean, with social media, you hear everything. But I know what I’m worth, and I know I can play football. So it didn’t really bother me.”