Cowboys snag Raiders WR Cooper for draft pick
The Dallas Cowboys made a bold move for the present Monday, trading a firstround pick for Oakland 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 costcutting move.
Dallas has struggled to score points while losing all four road games, including 20-17 Sunday at Washington. 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.
Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie said Cowboys executive vice president of personnel Stephen Jones called last week to say he’d check in on Cooper Monday and offered the firstround pick that the Raiders were holding out for before making a deal.
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.
Cardinals
Embattled first-year coach Steve Wilks emphatically said Arizona is not going to trade star cornerback Patrick Peterson. “We’re not trading Patrick,” Wilks said. “That’s out of the question.”
Jaguars
Jacksonville is sticking with veteran Blake Bortles as its starting quarterback. Coach Doug Marrone made the announcement one day after benching Bortles early in the third quarter of a 20-7 loss to Houston.
Colts
Adam Vinatieri’s quest to become the NFL’s career scoring leader could be put on hold because of a groin injury. Coach Frank Reich acknowledged that Vinatieri had an MRI on his right leg and was uncertain if Vinatieri would play next weekend in Oakland.
Monday’s game
Quarterback Matt Ryan threw a 47-yard pass to Marvin Hall for a touchdown and Tevin Coleman had a 30-yard burst for another score to lead the host Atlanta Falcons past the New York Giants with a 2320 win. Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. set a franchise record with his 23rd career 100-yard receiving game. He passed Amani Toomer on the list of top Giants receivers. Beckham Jr. also surpassed 5,000 career receiving yards in the loss.