Amari Cooper Rumors: Predicted Contract, Landing Spot for WR in Free Agency

Nearly all of the talk around the Dallas Cowboys this offseason has been regarding the status of quarterback Dak Prescott's contract extension.

The Cowboys signal-caller, who reportedly turned down a $30 million-per-year offer last summer, has been the subject of talk radio segments both locally and nationally since Dallas' season ended with a thud in December.

Lost in the noise around Prescott has been the ongoing back-and-forth between his top target, Amari Cooper, and Cowboys ownership. Cooper, who was selected to his second consecutive Pro Bowl with Dallas, caught 79 passes for 1,189 yards and eight touchdowns a year ago.

Keeping together the nucleus of Cooper, Ezekiel Elliott, Prescott and Michael Gallup, all of whom are under the age of 27, is likely one of owner Jerry Jones' highest priorities.

According to ESPN's Ed Werder, a deal for Cooper could be wrapped up quickly once teams are able to begin negotiations with agents Monday. Werder also noted that he wouldn't be surprised to see Cooper's deal preempt whatever the Cowboys can or can't agree to with Prescott.

On March 5, in an interview with 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, Cooper said he remains committed to being a Cowboy for the entirety of his career.

"I love being a Dallas Cowboy," Cooper told 105.3. "I think about it almost every day. Just the aura of being a Dallas Cowboy. You can't beat it. I want to be a Dallas Cowboy for life."

Last season, Cooper played out the final year of his contract making $13.9 million. With his new deal, Cooper is likely going to land somewhere in the $15 million-20 million-per-year range, which would put him in the top five among NFL wideouts, comparable to the likes of Odell Beckham Jr., A.J. Green, and Tyreek Hill.

For Dallas, which is expected to have roughly $72 million in cap space, per Spotrac, there is the availability of the franchise tag, which would delay signing Cooper to a long-term deal.

But based on both Cooper's and Werder's comments, as well as Jones' willingness to pay for players he finds integral to winning, it would be a bit of a surprise if Cooper weren't among the highest-paid wideouts in the league and a Cowboy when next season begins.

Follow Keegan on Twitter, @ByKeeganPope.