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5 reasons the Oakland Raiders won the Amari Cooper trade

By Brad Weiss

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Amari Cooper #89 is congratulated by Rodney Hudson #61 of the Oakland Raiders after he scored a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 30, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Amari Cooper #89 is congratulated by Rodney Hudson #61 of the Oakland Raiders after he scored a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 30, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 25: Amari Cooper No. 89 of the Oakland Raiders walks off the field after the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on December 25, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles defeated the Raiders 19-10. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 25: Amari Cooper No. 89 of the Oakland Raiders walks off the field after the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on December 25, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles defeated the Raiders 19-10. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Raiders were not going to pay him

If there is one thing the Raiders have shown since Jon Gruden came to town, it is that they are not going to pay big money for talent. With a ton of cash already locked up in quarterback Derek Carr, the Raiders even let star defensive end Khalil Mack walk, and the same was likely for Amari Cooper after next season.

The Raiders exercised Cooper’s fifth-year option back in April, and were on the hook to pay him nearly $14 million in 2019. However, Cooper has the same agent as Mack, and the expectation was he would sit out until he received a long-term extension, with a pay raise.

If the Raiders were not willing to pay Mack, paying Cooper was definitely off the table, especially with him expecting to be paid like an elite wide receiver. The Raiders made it known Cooper was available last week, and once a first round pick was dangled in front of them, they had to make the deal.

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