Evaluating how these star players fit into their new teams and what each franchise gains from the trade.
The receiver market is getting intense. Just hours after the Jets sealed a deal for Davante Adams, another team that won on Monday night has also secured a pass-catcher.
Amari Cooper is making his way to Buffalo. According to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, the Bills and Browns have agreed on a deal. Despite earlier reports suggesting Cleveland wouldn’t move Cooper, the Browns failed to extend his contract this offseason.
With Cooper still in his contract year, it now seems his season will wrap up in New York. Both teams have confirmed the trade.
This deal sends a third-round pick to the Browns, though NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport describes it as a pick-swap agreement, meaning a lower pick heads back to Buffalo. Here’s how the trade shapes up, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero:
In a segment on “The Insiders,” NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero noted that the Bills initially had their eyes on wide receiver Davante Adams but ultimately landed a deal with the Browns for Amari Cooper.
The Bills needed another receiver before the deadline, and unless their rookie pick Keon Coleman hit the ground running, this was inevitable. Buffalo, with their MVP-caliber quarterback, needed another weapon, and Cooper fits the bill — and their budget.
Cooper, now 30, has been a consistent performer for years. Since starting his career in 2015, he’s played in at least 14 games every season and topped 1,000 yards in seven of his nine full seasons.
Last year, despite having to work with below-par quarterbacks like Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, PJ Walker, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Cooper still had a career-best season with 1,250 receiving yards and an impressive 2.5 yards per route run.
He adopted more of a deep-threat role too, notching career highs in air yards per target (14.2), catches over 20 yards, and yardage expectations (5.6 catches over NFL Next Gen Stats).
However, Cooper hasn’t been without risk. His production has dipped noticeably in 2024, with his yards per route run falling to 1.2. Despite this, his performance against man coverage has remained steady, suggesting the decline might not reflect his true abilities.
His open scores have decreased over the years, but it’s his lower catch and yards-after-catch stats (down from 74 and 46 last year to 31 and 34 this year) that seem to be driving his drop in output. These numbers usually stabilize over time, which could bode well for Buffalo, though it’s no guarantee he hasn’t declined due to age.
The real question is: has Cooper’s performance dipped because of Deshaun Watson’s struggles? Cleveland’s passing game has been a disaster, so it makes sense for Buffalo to bet on Cooper bouncing back alongside Josh Allen.
Pat McAfee called the Bills’ trade for Amari Cooper a “heist” during a recent segment, surprised they didn’t give up much for him. One challenge Buffalo faced in getting a new receiver was their lack of cap space, with only $3.3 million left for this year.
Fortunately, Cooper fits their needs and budget, as Cleveland restructured his contract before the season, leaving the Bills responsible for just over $1 million of it this year.
In terms of draft compensation, the pick swap lands Cleveland the equivalent of about pick No. 100 for Cooper, assuming it’s a later third-round pick from Buffalo. Since his contract ends after the season, Cooper is likely a short-term rental for Buffalo.
Other midseason rentals in recent years, like Chase Young to the 49ers and Robert Quinn to the Eagles, have also involved teams giving up minimal salary compensation. Cooper might not be the same player as Von Miller was for the Rams in 2021, but his impact on the Bills’ Super Bowl hopes could be even greater.
While there were arguments for Buffalo pursuing Carolina’s Diontae Johnson or paying extra for Adams, after Adams became unavailable, Cooper was the right move.
For Cleveland, sitting at 1-5, this trade signals they’ve accepted the reality of their 2024 season. Ranked 27th by ESPN’s Football Power Index, they had no choice but to cash in on Cooper now for a pick that could help them rebuild when they’re contenders again.
While Cleveland might have hoped for more, the market dictated that it was best to act now rather than risk an injury or further decline in value.
It happened: The Jets reunited Davante Adams with Aaron Rodgers, despite their 2-4 record and recent coaching change. And it was the right decision.
The Jets had already committed heavily to their Super Bowl push before Rodgers retires. Pairing a Hall of Fame quarterback with an elite defense is a winning formula, but they needed more help on offense. Enter Adams, the perfect addition to boost their passing game.
At his peak, Adams was the league’s best receiver, leading in key metrics like yards per route run and touchdowns. While his production has dropped recently, the Jets still see him as a top-15 or top-20 receiver, and with his chemistry with Rodgers, he’s worth more to them than any other team.
For the Jets, this trade is about maximizing their Super Bowl window. If everything aligns, Adams could be the key piece they need to make a deep playoff run.
READ MORE: Davante Adams Trade: Raiders trade Davante Adams to the Jets
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