Cowboys Reportedly Talked to Nick Saban Before Amari Cooper Trade

The Dallas Cowboys reportedly sought the counsel of Nick Saban before pulling the trigger on their trade for Amari Cooper.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Saban was among those contacted by Dallas as part of a background check before the Cowboys agreed to trade their 2019 first-round pick to Oakland. The team also spoke with tight ends coach Doug Nussmeier, fullback Jamize Olawale and former Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio, all of whom have previous relationships with Cooper.

Dallas made its trade for Cooper ahead of its bye after spending the first seven weeks with one of the worst receiving corps in football. The Cowboys chose to not make a high-profile acquisition at the position following the release of Dez Bryant, and their offense has struggled as a result.

"Obviously it's a big decision," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas (h/t Todd Archer of ESPN.com). "We talked about it a lot, at all levels of our organization. I do believe we've done a good job selecting guys in the first round, and they are cornerstone players on our team. We really believe that Amari can be that kind of a guy. He's 24 years old. We think he has a bright future. The value for a player like that at his age, that's really what it costs you. It costs you a first-round pick."

Cooper has struggled for the vast majority of the last two seasons. He recorded just 22 receptions for 280 yards and a touchdown in six games with the Raiders. In 2017, Cooper set career lows with 48 receptions and 680 yards.

Cole Beasley is currently the only Cowboys wideout with more than 200 yards receiving. Dak Prescott has struggled to make an impact throughout the season and has been particularly bad on the road, with the Cowboys losing all four of their games away from Dallas.