It's undetermined what will happen between Amari Cooper and the Dallas Cowboys, as the latter tries to figure out how they'd like to proceed with the four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver. But while they apparently do their best to avoid a simple restructure on one of the league's best wideouts to free up tens of millions in 2022 salary cap space, they have the added difficulty of negotiating a deal with Michael Gallup and Cedrick Wilson, but they've at least gotten one wideout secured for next season -- namely Noah Brown.
For a second consecutive season, Brown has agreed to return to the Cowboys on a one-year deal, sources told CBS Sports on Tuesday, with the team later confirming the transaction as official. The deal is expected to pay Brown a salary near veteran minimum which, for his quantity of years played, amounts to just over $1 million.
Like Wilson, Brown battled injury early in his young career that initially derailed a lot of his progress, but he was available for all 16 regular-season games in 2020 -- a first in his career -- and he was active in 13 games in 2021. He also delivered a career-high 184 receiving yards on 16 receptions, which isn't jaw-dropping but works just fine for how the Cowboys utilize him: a major special teams contributor who offensive stood behind Cooper, Gallup, Wilson and CeeDee Lamb (not to mention Dalton Schultz, who was franchise tagged only hours ahead of the NFL deadline on Tuesday).
Wilson's return keeps special teams coordinator John "Bones" Fassell happy, and if they're unable to retain Wilson, Brown could see more reps in competition with a talented upstart in Malik Turner. Brown joined the Cowboys as a seventh-round pick in 2017, and will get a sixth year to continue proving his value in Dallas.
