Dallas Cowboys: Could Amari Cooper reach 2,000 receiving yards?

Amari Cooper has set a goal for himself to reach 2,000 receiving yards this coming season. Could he actually do it? Let’s take a look at the numbers.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper set a lofty goal for himself for the upcoming NFL season. Cooper wants to reach 2,000 receiving yards. As a Cowboys fan, I love the goal. However, I can only wonder if it’s actually achievable. 2,000 receiving yards is no easy task, but could he actually do it?

The quick answer to the question is no. For starters, no WR in NFL history has ever recorded 2,000 receiving yards in a season. The player who’s come closest to the 2,000 yard mark is Calvin Johnson, who reached 1,964 yards in 2012. Second on that list is Julio Jones, who recorded 1,871 yards in 2015. Rounding out the top five is Jerry Rice (1,848), Antonio Brown (1,834) and Isaac Bruce (1,781).

Unless you ask an unrealistic Cowboys fan or Amari Cooper himself, Cooper isn’t anywhere near the same level as those in the top five. Cooper is a good receiver, but he’s not one of the greatest off all-time at the position.

Based on the fact that not one WR in NFL history has ever reached this mark and the names on that list, the quick answer is no. However, I want to get a more solid answer. I want an answer based on the numbers.

Before we break down Cooper’s career numbers, keep in mind that in order for him to reach 2,000 receiving yards, he has to average 125 receiving yards per game over the course of the 16 game regular season.

Amari Cooper by the numbers

Career stats: 278 receptions for 3,908 yards, 25 TDs and an average of 64.1 receiving yards per game.

The first thing I notice from Cooper’s career numbers through four seasons, is that he hasn’t recorded 4,000 receiving yards yet. Cooper hasn’t even averaged 1,000 receiving yards per season, yet he’s trying to reach 2,000 in one season. Seems a little out of reach if you ask me.

Going back to the average of 125 receiving yards per game, let’s take a look at how many games of 125 yards or more Amari Cooper has throughout his career.

2015: 2

2016: 4

2017: 1

2018: 3

Total: 10

In order for Amari Cooper to reach his goal of 2,000 yards receiving, he has to average 125 yards per game, yet he has just 10 games in which he’s done so in four years. Doing that in 16 straight games might be a little tough.

So, not only is the quick answer no, but the statistical answer is also no.

Again, it’s a great goal for Cooper to have. It’d be great for him (in a contract year) if he actually did reach this goal, but I just don’t see it as being attainable, especially with the way the Dallas Cowboys run their offense through Ezekiel Elliott.

Then again, you never know what can happen. Maybe Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper light it up this year. All we can do is wait and see.