Amari Cooper Trade Grades: Who Came Out on Top – Bills or Browns?
It seems the Buffalo Bills have taken a page from the game “Counter-Strike.”
Just a few hours after defeating the New York Jets on “Monday Night Football” and observing their rivals snap up three-time All-Pro WR Davante Adams, the Bills struck back by acquiring five-time Pro Bowl WR Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns. This move could potentially shift the power dynamics in the AFC and beyond.
How does this pre-trade deadline maneuver stack up? We’re not exactly using a grading scale, but you might not see every team acing this latest move.
AMARI COOPER TRADE GRADES
Buffalo Bills: A-
The Bills are currently 4-2, sitting at the top of the AFC East after trading away WR1 Stefon Diggs (along with his issues) earlier in the offseason. Bringing in the speedy Cooper and his exceptional route-running ability should enhance a passing game that is ranked 25th, allowing younger WRs Khalil Shakir and rookie Keon Coleman to step back into less critical roles, facilitating their growth within the offense. This also creates opportunities for TEs Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox. Impressively, GM Brandon Beane acquired Cooper for a 2025 third-round pick and a swap of Day 3 selections, which is less than what the Jets paid for Adams or what the Houston Texans traded for Diggs earlier in the year. The Bills will absorb the remainder of Cooper’s $1.2 million salary but, unlike the Jets with Adams, they will need to re-sign Cooper if they want to keep him after this season.
Amari Cooper: B+
Cooper finds himself in a significantly improved situation compared to his time with the struggling Browns, where he caught just 24 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns. His previous environment seemed to impact him, evidenced by concentration drops, particularly in a loss to Las Vegas, and his inability to capitalize on 53 targets from an ineffective QB Deshaun Watson. The Bills have shifted towards a run-heavy style since Joe Brady stepped into the offensive coordinator role last season, maintaining a 51% ground game in 2024. Nonetheless, at 30, Cooper has a prime chance to boost this offense and adjust to playing in the Great Lakes’ weather, all while positioning himself for a lucrative contract in free agency, unless he finds a deeper connection with Bills Mafia sooner.
Cleveland Browns: C
The Browns appear to be parting with one of their top players for relatively little, especially considering the promising performance Cooper displayed during the well-executed 2023 season with adequate quarterback support. Although his contract situation limited his impact, GM Andrew Berry made the right choice by trading him now rather than later. However, it would have been more prudent for him to have re-signed QB Joe Flacco in the offseason and replaced the struggling Watson with Flacco when it became clear it needed to happen. Now, while acquiring another Day 2 draft pick is beneficial, this franchise seems stuck for at least another two and a half years unless a significant change occurs at quarterback.
Deshaun Watson: F
The outlook for Watson’s 2024 season has taken a turn for the worse now that he, unlike Flacco, has failed to keep his team’s best receiver in the mix. His current targets include Jerry Jeudy, who hasn’t managed to secure a WR1 role since his trade from Denver, along with Elijah Moore, Cedric Tillman, and TE David Njoku, a player who has previously looked significantly better with different quarterbacks. The trade for Watson two years ago is already being viewed as one of the franchise’s biggest missteps, and the prospect of moving on from him seems increasingly distant for fans of the Browns.
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