You asked for opinions, you got one. There's no point in arguing with it.
I don't recall dropping a fish either, but it does happen. You don't even have to do anything particularly stupid for it to happen either, though stupidity never helps. Most of the instances I've heard of have usually revolved around a simple trophy shot. If you never take them, I quite agree that there's no need to pick a fish up at all. You can even weigh a fish properly without doing so. However, if that doesn't worry you, as you suggest, why even remove the fish from the water? A cradle or mat is an irrelevance. The fact is that most do take trophy shots of their bigger fish, that usually involves picking a fish up. For that reason, cradles/cots aren't necessarily the last word in fish safety, though they might be for you. For all their positives they do have downsides.
As said, it's only opinion. I care not one whit to try and change yours. You won't change mine.