Cowboys get Cooper for a 1st-round pick
The Cowboys made a bold move for the present Monday, trading a firstround pick for wide receiver Amari Cooper in Raiders coach Jon Gruden’s latest play for the future.
The Cowboys gave up their top pick in the next draft in hopes of giving quarterback Dak Prescott another weapon just a few months after releasing franchise touchdown catch leader Dez Bryant in a cost-cutting move.
Dallas (3-4) has struggled to score while losing all four road games, including 20-17 Sunday to the Redskins. And Cowboys receivers haven’t made many big plays in their first season without Bryant and retired tight end Jason Witten, the club leader in catches.
Cooper was the fourth overall draft pick by the Raiders out of Alabama three years ago. He started his career with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and had two 100-yard games this year but had just two targets and one catch since the second of those games.
Cooper was placed in the concussion protocol after leaving the Raiders’ last game Oct. 14 against the Seahawks. The Radiers figure to have a good shot at the No. 1 overall pick in 2019 and now have three firstrounders.
The Jaguars are sticking with Blake Bortles as their starting quarterback.
Coach Doug Marrone made the announcement one day after benching Bortles early in the third quarter of a 20-7 loss to the Texans.
Bortles fumbled on the Jaguars’ third play in each half, leading to 10 points for the Texans and prompting Marrone to switch to Cody Kessler.
Adam Vinatieri’s record-breaking quest could be temporarily on hold.
The seemingly ageless kicker reinjured his right groin during the Colts’ victory over the Bills and underwent an MRI on Monday. Coach Frank Reich acknowledged Vinatieri might miss next weekend’s game at Oakland.
Vinatieri, 43, needs five points to move past Morten Andersen’s league scoring record of 2,544 points.
“We just know he felt a little something ... so we are just going to see how the week progresses,” Reich said. “We’re going to bring in some kickers, just so you guys know, but we are not going to make any decisions until later.”
Dolphins coach Adam Gase said WR Albert Wilson’s hip injury is likely season-ending, although a visit to a specialist is planned before a determination is made . ... Bills coach Sean McDermott said rookie QB Josh Allen would miss his second game due to a sprained elbow and newcomer Derek Anderson would start against the Patriots. Anderson showed plenty of signs of rust in throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble in a 37-5 loss to the Colts on Sunday. Allen is listed as week to week . ... Buccaneers LB Kwon Alexander is out for the rest of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The fourth-year pro was injured during the first half of Sunday’s 26-23 overtime victory over the Browns.