Ravens have bigger needs to worry about than Amari Cooper

The Baltimore Ravens will undoubtedly be connected to rumors surrounding Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver Amari Cooper now that it’s been reported that he will “likely” be released this offseason.

Why? Because it’s the Ravens, and every time a good wide receiver becomes available, it’s just tradition to slot the Ravens as a possible landing spot.

The wide receiver position has been an offseason need of the Ravens for what feels like forever now, but for the first time in a long while, the team has more important needs to address this offseason.

There’s no doubt that adding Cooper would provide a major boost to an offense that is still looking for a true No. 1 wide receiver. However, signing (or even trading for) Cooper just wouldn’t be a wise use of resources at this stage.

Why Amari Cooper doesn’t make sense for the Ravens

Cooper is coming off a down year in Dallas in which he only managed 865 yards on 68 catches. It was one of just two seasons in his seven-year career that he didn’t finish with at least 1,000 yards receiving.

By all accounts, Cooper is an excellent player who would immediately become the best wide receiver on the Ravens’ roster. It’s easy to get excited about a wide receiver trio of Cooper, Marquise Brown, and Rashod Bateman, not to mention Mark Andrews.

Unfortunately, it’s just not a realistic scenario. At least not at the price tag Cooper will command on the open market.

The Ravens have just $9 million in projected cap space, and although they will undoubtedly create more space before free agency starts, they have a ton of other needs to address.

The offensive and defense lines remain a priority while the Ravens will also likely address other positions such as pass rusher, safety, and even linebacker. It’s just hard to see the team prioritizing wide receiver, especially given their recent history when it comes to roster building.

The Ravens don’t have the financial flexibility to seriously explore adding Cooper, unless he were to take a deal at significantly below his market value.

This is a team that’s on the verge of losing Bradley Bozeman in free agency because they won’t have the money to make it work. How are they going to sway Cooper, a player who will easily command significantly more than Bozeman, to join the team?

The simple answer is that it’s just not going to happen.

The Ravens would love to have a player like Amari Cooper in their offense, but barring any unforeseen developments, it’s just not a realistic possibility.