A.J. Brown Criticizes Cowboys' Amari Cooper Trade: 'Maybe the Best Route-Runner'

Tennessee Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown questioned the Dallas Cowboys' decision to trade fellow wideout Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns for a pair of late-round draft picks.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Saturday the Cowboys traded Cooper and a sixth-round pick in exchange for fifth- and sixth-round selections.

Brown is right that Cooper, who's made four Pro Bowl appearances, is worth far more than the trade would suggest, but the situation was more complicated for Dallas' front office.

Before the deal, the Cowboys possessed just $3.1 million in salary-cap space, per Spotrac, ahead of the NFL's new league year, which is scheduled to begin Wednesday.

Cooper was set to count $20 million against the cap in 2022 as part of his five-year, $100 million contract. The trade creates a much-needed $16 million in savings for the defending NFC East champions.

If not for the contract situation, the 27-year-old Miami native would have likely attracted far more lucrative offers on the trade market, though in that case Dallas likely wouldn't have been trying to move him. The deal is a direct result of a need for financial flexibility.

Cooper is in line to link up with Jarvis Landry to give the Browns a strong one-two punch in the passing attack, though they'll need a major bounce-back year from quarterback Baker Mayfield to have a chance to contend in the loaded AFC.

Meanwhile, Brown is entering the final season of his four-year, $5.7 million rookie contract, which means the value of the wide receiver market is important to his future earnings.

The 2020 Pro Bowl selection should be in line for a huge deal next offseason after recording 2,995 yards and 24 touchdowns across his first three NFL seasons.