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Grades for Bills, Browns, Deshaun Watson

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Grades for Bills, Browns, Deshaun Watson

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Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills must be fans of the game Counter-Strike.

Just hours after defeating the New York Jets on “Monday Night Football” and then watching their division rivals draft three-time All-Pro WR Davante Adams, the Bills successfully returned fire again – and may have the last laugh after the win get five-time Pro Bowl WR Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns.

Does everyone pass this final pre-trade deadline test? We're not exactly on the same page, but not everyone will take the latest move that could change the power dynamic in the AFC and perhaps the league at large…

AMARI COOPER TRADE GRADES

Buffalo Bills: A-

They're off to a 4-2 start, good for first place in the AFC East after trading away WR1 Stefon Diggs (and his luggage) in the offseason. Adding speedy Cooper and his smooth running to the lineup should improve a 25th-ranked passing game while allowing young WRs Khalil Shakir and rookie Keon Coleman to move into less prominent roles where they may grow more appropriately as they continue to develop can thrive in larger components of this offense. It should also create space for TEs Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox to operate. And at the expense of the 2025 third-rounder and the Day 3 pick swap, GM Brandon Beane is paying less than the Jets for Adams or the Houston Texans for Diggs, who brought a 2025 second-rounder back to Buffalo in the April transaction. The Bills will receive the remainder of Cooper's $1.2 million salary, but – unlike the Adams scenario for the Jets – would have to re-sign him to retain his rights beyond this season.

Amari Cooper: B+

He's in a much better situation than before after catching 24 passes for 250 yards and two scores for the scrappy Browns. And it appeared that the environment was affecting Cooper, who had some lapses in concentration – most notably in a loss in Las Vegas – and was unable to produce much despite being picked off 53 times by the wildly ineffective Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson was attacked. The Bills have become a more run-oriented team since Joe Brady was promoted to the offensive coordinator chair midway through last season, holding it on the ground 51% of the time in 2024. Still, there's a golden opportunity for the 30-year-old Cooper to bolster this offense – and he's certainly adjusted to playing in Great Lakes weather conditions – and prepare for another significant payday in free agency, not before he falls in love with Bill's Mafia.

Cleveland Browns: C

It seems like they're getting pennies on the dollar for one of their best players – especially after the 2023 season clearly demonstrated what this team and Cooper were capable of with competent quarterback play. Given that his contract was expiring and he was no longer able to excel under these circumstances, GM Andrew Berry did the right thing by pulling the trigger now. What he really should have done was re-sign QB Joe Flacco in the offseason and lead the offense — when it became apparent weeks ago that was necessary — to bench Watson and his albatross contract. How are things now? Sure, another Day 2 draft pick is nice. But if there's no change under center, this franchise is essentially dead for another two and a half years.

Deshaun Watson: F

His 2024 season got even worse after he failed to maintain the team's best scoring streak as an integral part of the offense, unlike Flacco. Now Watson is throwing to Jerry Jeudy, who failed to establish himself as a WR1 before being traded to Denver, WRs Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman, and TE David Njoku, another player who was a hit with passers other than Watson throwing to him. looked far superior. The franchise's trade for the controversial quarterback two years ago is already shaping up to be the worst in league history and is apparently only going to get worse as the organization is currently unable – and unwilling – to trade the player exit that Browns fans really want.

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Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.

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