ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — As Amari Cooper drove alone towards his new home in Buffalo, his phone lit up with texts and calls, but he felt a sense of calm. The Cleveland skyline faded in the rearview mirror, and the anticipation of a fresh start loomed ahead after the Browns traded him to the Bills.
This drive, usually a three-hour trip alongside I-90, felt longer for Cooper, who was absorbed in gathering his thoughts and belongings while eagerly contemplating the new opportunities that awaited him. “It reminded me of the first day of school, with so much on my mind,” he shared after practice on Wednesday, reflecting upon his recent trade. “I was taking it all in and processing the situation. It truly motivated me for this journey ahead, and I found it very introspective.”
In just a day and a scenic trip along Lake Erie, Cooper transitioned from a struggling Browns offense, where the team sat at 1-5 and had lost four consecutive games, to joining the Buffalo Bills, the defending AFC East champions with a 4-2 record. He looks forward to collaborating with quarterback Josh Allen. “I don’t know him personally, but every time I see him play on TV, he’s phenomenal,” said Cooper of the seasoned quarterback.
Cooper, now 30, is a five-time Pro Bowler who has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in seven of his nine seasons in the league, including a personal best of 1,250 yards last year. With Cooper alongside Allen, he is expected to fill a crucial role in the receiver lineup that has struggled since Stefon Diggs was traded to Houston in April.
This season, Cooper leads the Bills in receiving with 24 catches for 250 yards, just ahead of Khalil Shakir. Despite a few uncharacteristic drops, his experience is seen as valuable to the team’s performance. Buffalo’s general manager Brandon Beane downplayed the trade, indicating it was not merely a response to the struggling wide receivers in their “Everybody Eats” philosophy. Nevertheless, he mentioned that he had been actively looking for a receiver and decided to pursue Cooper aggressively once the Raiders traded Davante Adams to the New York Jets.
Allen expressed confidence in Cooper’s potential impact. “I believe this will enhance our offense, mainly because defenses clearly know who he is,” he stated. “I will continue to throw to the open man, but having a reliable talent like him who consistently performs at a high level will help everyone here.”
The Bills are currently struggling at 25th in the NFL in passing yards. In the recent win against the New York Jets, rookie running back Ray Davis led receivers with a mere 55 yards, whilst Allen has recorded under 200 yards passing in three games so far this season. A pressing question arises regarding how swiftly Cooper can adapt to Buffalo’s offensive scheme.
Coach Sean McDermott has not confirmed whether Cooper will be active for the upcoming game against Tennessee. He mentioned the advantage of making this trade in mid-October, allowing Cooper some extra time to acclimatize compared to if he were acquired before the November 5 trade deadline. Interestingly, Cooper has a prior relationship with Bills receivers coach Adam Henry, who coached him while both were with Dallas in 2020 and 2021.
Cooper communicated that Henry is one of the few coaches he’s maintained contact with, expressing enthusiasm about reuniting with him. However, he refrained from setting expectations for his first game back on the field. “I just got here, you know what I mean? If I had to have an expectation, it would be to fully take advantage of my chances. That’s all I can focus on.”
Back in Cleveland, Cooper is being missed by his former teammates and coaches. “You have to trust the organization and the plans from AB and Kevin and the others in management,” said Deshaun Watson, the Browns’ quarterback. “However, we will certainly miss him and value everything he added to our team and organization.”
Now on his fourth NFL team, this isn’t the first time Cooper has faced a midseason trade; he experienced a similar situation in 2018 when the Raiders traded him to Dallas. On Wednesday, Cooper emphasized his focus on the future with a mindset of “being where your feet are.” “Looking back can teach you, but the past is just that,” he remarked. “Things weren’t going well in Cleveland, but the season is still long, and I’m no longer there. My attention is forward now.”