Amari Cooper trade grades: Bills load up; Browns try to make best of bad situation

The Cleveland Browns traded wide receiver Amari Cooper and a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills for a 2025 third-rounder and a 2026 seventh-rounder.

Why they made the deal

Bills quarterback Josh Allen needed reinforcements. Allen is ranked 19th in passing yards and has the fourth fewest yards in the league among QBs with six starts. While he’s again in the MVP race, the Bills’ aspirations are far beyond any regular-season recognition, and Cooper could be a necessary tool in helping them get over the hump in the playoffs.

Say hello to @JoshAllenQB‘s newest WR: @AmariCooper9 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1FOqI3yQzZ

— NFL (@NFL) October 15, 2024

So far, the passing attack has fallen primarily on the shoulders of wideout Khalil Shakir (20 catches, 249 yards, two touchdowns) and tight end Dalton Kincaid (21-217-1). Second-round rookie Keon Coleman has flashed with 16.8 yards per catch, but he’s only averaging two receptions per game. Ditto for Curtis Samuel, who’s turned his two weekly grabs into 15.4 yards per game.

There was a clear void at the top of the depth chart that needed to be be filled, so the Bills engaged in the receiver market. The New York Jets were willing to take on Davante Adams’ salary, something the Bills didn’t want to do with their cap restrictions, so they set their sights on Cooper, who carries a league-minimum base salary thanks to an offseason contract restructure.

Meanwhile, the Browns are 1-5 with the third fewest points in the league. They won’t be returning to the postseason without a dramatic turnaround in performance from quarterback Deshaun Watson, and Cooper’s contract was set to expire after the season.

Amari Cooper was traded to the Bills this afternoon.

The Bills playoff odds increase by 3% but when you’re already 90% to make it, the effect is smaller.

But they’ve seen their Super Bowl odds increase by 1%.

Odds can be found here:@TheAthleticNFLhttps://t.co/3Em2zy4vqi pic.twitter.com/n3vaL5SWFh

— Austin Mock (@amock419) October 15, 2024

Bills grade: A-

It’s always refreshing when a team isn’t afraid to get aggressive with the long-term vision in mind. Sure, the Bills could’ve (likely) coasted to a fifth consecutive AFC East title and hoped Allen could create enough magic to get past their conference rivals in the playoffs, but an actionable decision is typically more fruitful than blind faith.

Cooper, 30, still has enough skill to be a playmaker with an elite quarterback. While it’s natural to think Cooper has lost a step — a normal occurrence for any player in their 10th NFL season — it’s not a reach to think that’s somewhat overblown considering the Browns’ issues at quarterback.

Amari Cooper leads the NFL with 473 air yards on incomplete targets this season. Cooper accounted for the 5th-highest share of team air yards in Weeks 1-6 (46.9%).

The Bills are the only team without a receiver over 26% (Mack Hollins, 21.4%).@BuffaloBills | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/mJxKwrklIm

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) October 15, 2024

It wasn’t that long ago (Christmas Eve) that Cooper posted 265 receiving yards with Joe Flacco playing QB against the Texans, so he’s more than capable. Allen will be the best quarterback Cooper has ever played alongside, so that tandem could be dangerous once they establish some chemistry.

The wideout also seems like an ideal fit for Allen’s offense. Cooper is a polished route runner who can keep plays on schedule, but he could also be a defensive nightmare when Allen breaks the pocket and looks for Cooper to improvise down the field. There’s a real possibility for those two to create a bunch of big plays together.

Browns grade: B+

The Browns maximized their return on Cooper by moving him three weeks before the trade deadline. The early move prevented the market from over-saturating in the event more receivers became available.

Before the season, the Browns were willing to do what the Raiders weren’t with Adams. They converted $18.79 million of his salary into a signing bonus to make him a far more attractive trade chip.

While the Browns will be on the hook for $22 million in dead money down the road, it’s a price they were willing to pay for a second-day draft pick. Plus, the Browns are already in cap hell with Watson’s contract, so they need quality draft picks to build out the roster.

It was shrewd foresight from the Browns. While they would have surely preferred to be in the playoff mix again, they were at least able to make the most of a bad situation by getting a quality return on Cooper.

(Photo: Nic Antaya / Getty Images)