Former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper is still searching for a new team, but skepticism is mounting across the league about his reliability as a pass-catcher.
Cooper, 31, is coming off a season where he split time between the Browns and Bills after being traded to Buffalo in October. He struggled to find consistency, finishing with a career-low 547 receiving yards and four touchdowns over 14 games — six with the Browns and eight with the Bills.
Before the season, Cooper staged a short holdout in hopes of securing a long-term extension. While he didn’t land a new deal, he did manage to negotiate a slight raise and secure $20 million in guaranteed salary.
Cooper had a chance to secure a nice payday if he turned in a solid season. But instead, he’s exploring his options in the second wave of free agency. And his reputation around the league appears to have taken a hit.
Matthew Berry of NBC Sports spoke to a coach at the NFL Combine who thinks Cooper’s best days are behind him.
“Amari is done,” Berry said. “That’s not me talking. That’s from an offensive coach of a former team of his I spoke to at the combine.”
Jerry Jeudy Emerged as Top Option for Browns
Cooper is just a year removed from a Pro Bowl season, racking up 1,250 yards and five touchdowns in 2023. However, the NFL is a “what have you done lately” league, and the fall from grace can be swift. Once again, Cooper may have to prove he’s still a playmaker if he wants to stick around.
Meanwhile, the Browns found a new No. 1 option following Cooper’s departure in Jerry Jeudy. Despite an unstable quarterback situation, Jeudy put up a career year. He notched 1,229 yards and four touchdowns on 90 catches.
“I proved to myself and the rest of the league that I’m one of those guys, one of those top receivers in the league,” Jeudy said. “I can play at a high level consistently, make plays. As long as I get an opportunity to do that, I feel like I’m the guy that’s able to do that now. I’m going to keep continuing to do that here being a Cleveland Brown.”
The Browns bought low on Jeudy, acquiring him for fifth- and sixth-round picks in a trade with the Denver Broncos. The team quickly inked him to a three-year, $58 million extension, which could prove to be a bargain if he keeps producing at an elite level.
Browns Still Seeking Quarterback Solution
The Browns’ wide receiver talent won’t mean much if they can’t find stability at quarterback. With Deshaun Watson largely out of the picture moving forward, the team faces a significant question under center. Watson is recovering from an Achilles injury that is expected to sideline him for most of next season. Even when he returns, he’s unlikely to factor into the starting quarterback discussion.
Cleveland is casting a wide net in its search for the next quarterback. The team has already traded for Kenny Pickett and is expected to explore additional options. That could be by signing a veteran free agent or using their No. 2 overall pick in the draft to land their quarterback of the future.
Some names mentioned as veteran options for the Browns include Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins (via trade), or Joe Flacco.
