Amari Cooper will soon be playing his fourth NFL team after the five-time Pro Bowler was traded from the Browns to the Bills on Tuesday. While Buffalo (4-2) was in desperate need of some veteran wide receiver help for Josh Allen, Cleveland (1-5) moved a player from a struggling passing game for much-needed draft picks.
Cooper moves to the top of the Bills’ depth chart to help the rising Khalil Shakir and rookie second-round draft pick Keon Coleman. He becomes the sure-handed, savvy route-runner to replace Stefon Diggs, now with the AFC rival Texans.
The Browns, meanwhile, will operate with wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and tight end David Njoku as their top targets for Deshaun Watson. Cooper has been disappointing through six games with only 24 catches for 250 yards and two TDs after topping 1,000 yards in three of the past four seasons with the Browns and Cowboys.
Cooper has been traded twice before, from the Raiders to the Cowboys and the Cowboys to the Browns. Here’s grading the latest deal as he tries to make the third time a charm.
Amari Cooper trade grades
Bills receive:
- WR Amari Cooper
- 2025 sixth-round draft pick
Browns receive:
- 2025 third-round draft pick
- 2016 seventh-round draft pick
Bills grade: B
The Bills had too much youth in their receiver corps with Shakir, Coleman, and second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid. Allen was doing his best in the offense, but coordinator Joe Brady hasn’t been deploying those players consistently well.
Cooper has lost a step as a field-stretcher but can be the volume-based chain-mover Allen likes, a la Diggs. Allen should give Cooper a comfort level as he had with Derek Carr or Dak Prescott as his QB, a connection that didn’t happen with Watson. The cost was minimal with a late draft pick also coming to Buffalo in return.
Browns grade: B
The Browns had no future plans with Cooper beyond 2024 and maximized his value on the market given how he’s been fading in their offense. They flipped him as best they could, taking advantage of the Bills’ situation after they lost the Davante Adams trade sweepstakes to the rival Jets.
Cleveland is headed for a disastrous season and a much higher draft pick than anticipated. They should be looking to reboot at QB, WR, and in most places in their offense for 2025, and the extra Day 2 draft capital next April is a nice boost.
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