'I love it here': Amari Cooper is happy with the Cowboys, wants to sign long-term - The Dallas Morning News

FRISCO – Amari Cooper comes across as a thoughtful man. He’s careful with his words, while he’s direct and honest he doesn’t present himself as a person who belittles you. It’s refreshing to see given some other diva-like wide receivers the Cowboys employed over the years.

Cooper can be a stand-alone No. 1 wide receiver without any messy drama. Take his current position on his contract status. He’s going to become a free agent next spring and while his agents have held talks with the Cowboys, nothing is close to being finalized.

Cooper has elected to table talks for after the season and has done so in a quiet, peaceful way. No sit-ups in the driveway (Terrell Owens), no holdouts (Michael Thomas) or bold proclamations (Antonio Brown). The Cowboys’ leading receiver just wants a new contract whenever it happens. And on Monday afternoon, Cooper made his feelings known he wants to be here long-term.

“Of course. Like I just said, I love it here,” Cooper said. “I want to be here. I just love this situation, my teammates. I just feel it’s the place for me.”

Cooper bonded instantly with his teammates including cornerback Chidobe Awuzie. The two men play chess every day in the locker room. Dak Prescott is surrounded by 15 to 20 reporters once a week and Cooper sits quietly about a locker down from the starting quarterback playing chess against Awuzie. It appears Cooper has found a peaceful state in his life thanks to the trade the Cowboys made with the Raiders a year ago.

“Yeah, I mean I’ve approached the situation like if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” he said. “Obviously, I’m more productive here than I was in Oakland, so why would I want to change things?”

In 52 games with the Raiders, Cooper averaged 14.1 yards per reception with 19 touchdowns and 13 100-yard games. In the 21 games with the Cowboys, Cooper has 14.5 yards per reception with 13 touchdowns and six 100-yard games. Of his five best receiving games, three have come in a Cowboys’ uniform including a career-high 226-yard performance against the Packers on Oct. 6.

The only negative in Cooper’s time with the Cowboys has been injuries, something Raiders fans never really forgave him for on and his home/away splits.

Cooper has been targeted just 32 times on the road compared to the 60 pass targets at home. He lasted just three plays in a road loss to the Jets (two targets) due to a severe thigh bruise and in a loss to the Patriots, he saw just two passes thrown his way under rainy and windy conditions.

Cooper quoted the home/road splits to reporters following Mondays’ practice in preparation for the Bears game on Thursday. Cooper isn’t making a fuss about the lack of touches away from AT&T Stadium. That’s not his nature.

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“The reason I don’t go to the coaches and say I want X amount of targets on the road is I truly feel like we have so many playmakers on your offense that I don’t need 10 targets,” Cooper said. “I feel like (Michael Gallup) can get the job done. (Randall) Cobb can get the job done. Dak can get it done with his legs. (Ezekiel Elliott) is back there. So I don’t feel you have to throw me the ball if you want to be successful on offense because we don’t.”

The lack of touches on the road is mystifying to a degree considering how important Cooper is to the offense.

“You look at it and hopefully see the flow of those games,” offensive coordinator Kellen Moore said of the home/road splits. “See if I can help in any way (and) put ourselves in better position maybe, to get him more involved to make some plays and all that stuff. Hopefully you learn from it and hopefully we can find something.”

Cooper has handled everything with a professionalism whether it’s from a lack of road targets, stalled contract talks to how he produces on the field. Remember those three toe drag catches against Minnesota? He made those plays so effortlessly with little emotion involved.

Even this tricky situation between his agents is handled with such class. He’s represented by Joel Segal and Chafie Fields. Fields departed Lagardere Sports and Entertainment, a firm he worked in with Segal, to join the Wasserman Media Group as an executive vice president.

Cooper can use both agents in contract talks.

“Yeah, I’m still with both,” Cooper said. “Still with both. Still talk to both.”

Cooper has handled everything with the calmness of a chess player and the sounds coming from him have been as pleasant as a jazz musician.

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'I love it here': Amari Cooper is happy with the Cowboys, wants to sign long-term - The Dallas Morning News
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