NY Jets 'did their homework' on a potential Amari Cooper trade

The NY Jets were one of a few teams connected to rumors regarding a potential Amari Cooper trade before he was dealt to the Cleveland Browns on Saturday in a swap of Day 3 draft picks.

Those rumors were accurate as the Jets reportedly "did their homework" on a Cooper trade, according to Connor Hughes of The Athletic. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports confirmed this as well indicating that the Jets, Jaguars, and Dolphins all inquired about a potential Cooper deal.

But in the end, the Jets balked at the finances associated with Cooper's contract. Cooper's $22 million cap hit was reportedly too high for the Jets to be comfortable with, even with their extensive cap space and draft capital.

General manager Joe Douglas believed it wasn't worth it. Now, the Jets will have to search for other ways to address the wide receiver position.

The NY Jets considered trading for Amari Cooper

It's no surprise to learn that the Jets were interested in trading for Cooper. The Jets have made it clear that they're more willing to be aggressive this offseason than in years past.

Combine that with an obvious need at the wide receiver position and many have assumed the Jets could be in the market to trade for a wide receiver. Cooper seemed like an obvious target.

Yet, despite the meager compensation it took to land him, Douglas and company decided to steer clear of his market. They inquired but ultimately decided against it.

The Jets are looking to surround young quarterback Zach Wilson with as much talent as possible this offseason, but Cooper's salary was clearly an issue for the Jets.

Cooper is set to make $22 million in 2022, a figure that would significantly eat into the team's available cap space. That said, with very little guaranteed money remaining on his deal, the trade would have been relatively low risk.

The Jets would have been able to restructure his contract and reduce his cap hit or even just cut ties with him altogether after 2022 with very little penalty. However, the Jets didn't believe it was worth it.

Joe Douglas has his work cut out for him this offseason. Despite their interest in Amari Cooper, the Jets will now have to resort to other ways to surround Zach Wilson with talent.