Rex Ryan Wouldn't Pay 'Turd' Amari Cooper; NFL's 'Biggest Disappearing Act'

Former NFL head coach Rex Ryan said Friday there's "no way in hell" he would have given Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper a lucrative long-term contract.

Ryan referred to Cooper, who signed a five-year, $100 million extension with the Cowboys, as a "disappearing act" and a "turd" during an appearance on ESPN's Get Up:

Ryan later apologized to Cooper on ESPN's SportsCenter:

The former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills coach joins a growing list of critics about the Cooper deal.

Mike Sando of The Athletic provided comments from an NFL executive, who echoed Ryan's thoughts about the wideout's inability to make a constant impact.

"It comes back down to, how many guys are really difference makers?" the exec said. "That is who you pay the top of the market to. I'm sorry, Amari Cooper helps, but he does not tilt the field. He has not shown up consistently. You can say a lot of negative things about Antonio Brown, but he was a difference maker."

Cooper recorded 79 receptions for 1,189 yards and eight touchdowns in 2019. He made just 27 catches for 320 yards in eight road games, however, a point Ryan also brought up.

The Cowboys have limited receiver depth behind Cooper and Michael Gallup, which complicated the situation.

It's unlikely they would have wanted to enter the 2020 campaign with Gallup as the unquestioned top target, and their first pick in the draft, No. 17 overall, likely wouldn't have landed one of the three elite receiver prospects (Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb and Henry Ruggs III).

Dallas is in win-now mode, and it would have been difficult to emerge as a true contender with Gallup and a second-tier receiver prospect as the main weapons for quarterback Dak Prescott.

So the Cowboys took a chance by giving Cooper a monster contract to keep him from leaving as an unrestricted free agent. Clearly not everyone is convinced the move will pay off.