news-16102024-081458

The Buffalo Bills have completed a trade with the Cleveland Browns for star wide receiver Amari Cooper, the team announced on Tuesday. In exchange for Cooper and a 6th-round pick in 2025, Buffalo is sending a 3rd-round pick in 2025 and a 7th-round pick in 2026 to the Browns. Cooper, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, brings over 9,700 receiving yards and 62 touchdowns to the Bills.

Cooper has been selected to the Pro Bowl five times, with his most recent appearance coming in the 2023 season where he recorded a career-high 1,250 yards and five touchdowns. The former Alabama standout has achieved six seasons of 1,000 or more receiving yards, including the last two full seasons he spent in Cleveland. This trade gives Bills quarterback Josh Allen another weapon to work with, following the team’s recent victory over the Jets in Week 6.

Notably, this is not the first time Cooper has been traded midseason. In 2019, he was sent from the Raiders to the Cowboys and made an immediate impact, averaging 96.3 yards per game in seven regular-season appearances with Dallas. Cooper has a history of success with Bills WR coach Adam Henry, who coached him during his time in Dallas in 2020 and 2021. During his first season in Cleveland, Cooper led the Browns in receiving yards, receptions, and set a career-high with nine receiving touchdowns.

In 2023, Cooper continued to shine as one of the league’s top wide receivers, highlighted by a standout performance against the Texans where he racked up 265 yards and two touchdowns. The addition of Cooper to the Bills’ roster led to the release of wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to make room for the new acquisition. This trade not only bolsters Buffalo’s receiving corps but also provides Allen with an experienced and talented target down the field. Cooper’s veteran presence and playmaking ability are expected to elevate the Bills’ passing game and provide a significant boost to the team’s offensive capabilities.