Bills acquire wide receiver Amari Cooper from Browns and give QB Josh Allen a much-needed playmaker

Associated Press

Amari Cooper went from a struggling No. 1 wide receiver in Cleveland to a top receiver in Buffalo.

Looking for a playmaker to replace quarterback Josh Allen, the Bills acquired Cooper on Tuesday in a trade with the struggling Browns, whose season appears to be failing by the week with the NFL's worst offense.

Just hours after acquiring Davante Adams from the New York Jets, the Bills (4-2) completed their only major deal that they hope will give them a leg up on their AFC East rivals and on the way to a successful postseason success remains.

Cooper is a five-time Pro Bowler and his arrival will be a big boost to Buffalo's patchwork receiving group. The Bills have needed a player of Cooper's caliber since they traded Stefon Diggs to Houston in the offseason.

The Bills sent a third-round pick in the 2025 draft and a seventh-round pick in 2026 to Cleveland for Cooper and a sixth-round pick in 2025. The trade also came a day after the Bills beat the Jets 4-2 in '23 -20.

For Cooper, the deal ends a disappointing and disjointed third season with Cleveland.

The 30-year-old, in his final year under contract, has made numerous uncharacteristic drops that haven't helped struggling Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson get his game on track.

Cooper's departure deprives Watson of a key option and catapults Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman up the depth chart. Jeudy, who came to Cleveland from Denver in an offseason trade, has 20 catches for 248 yards and a touchdown.

Moore has 16 catches for 95 yards but suffered a rib injury in Sunday's loss. Tillman was expected to do big things in his second season, but the third-round pick only has three catches.

A change of scenery could be good for Cooper, the only player in Browns history to have consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. This season, he has a team-leading 24 catches for 250 yards and two touchdowns.

But he and Watson weren't on the same page for most of the season and Cooper had just 12 catches for 137 yards in his last three games.

Still, he was an invaluable part of Cleveland's turnaround over the last two seasons.

“We appreciate Amari’s hard work, professionalism and on-field contributions during his two-plus seasons with us,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said. “He created many memorable moments with us and was an integral part of our 2023 playoff team. We wish him all the best in Buffalo as he continues his NFL career.”

Cooper, one of the NFL's best route runners, will give Allen another option.

Khalil Shakir leads the Bills with 20 catches for 249 yards and two touchdowns. Rounding out Buffalo's receiver group are Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins and Marquez Valdez-Scantling, as well as rookie Keon Coleman, who are mostly journeymen.

The Browns' decision to trade one of their top players could be a sign that the team has given up on the season going in the wrong direction. Cleveland lost its fourth straight game on Sunday, a 20-16 loss to Philadelphia.

The Browns have yet to score 20 points or rush for 300 yards in a game.

Cooper's move seemed inevitable for months, as the Browns decided not to give him the contract extension he sought this summer. They restructured his deal and added incentives to his $20 million base.

The Browns acquired Cooper in a 2022 deal as the Dallas Cowboys attempted to move him into a salary deficit position. Almost from the moment he arrived in Cleveland, Cooper, who played at Alabama, became an invaluable leader for coach Kevin Stefanski.

Cooper led by example on and off the field.

However, the last few months have been strange for the reliable veteran.

He skipped minicamp while on a contract extension before the Browns reworked his deal just before training camp opened. Cooper was also the subject of numerous trade rumors – particularly involving San Francisco – before the enthusiasm died down.

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