Amari Cooper went from a fading No. 1 broad receiver in Cleveland to a prime one with Buffalo.

Trying so as to add a playmaker for quarterback Josh Allen, the Payments acquired Cooper on Tuesday in a commerce with the skidding Browns, whose season appears to be unraveling by the week with the NFL’s worst offense.

Simply hours after the New York Jets acquired Davante Adams to pair with Aaron Rodgers, the Payments pulled off their very own massive deal, one they hope will hold them forward of their AFC East rivals and on observe to make a deep postseason run.

Cooper is a five-time Professional Bowler and his arrival will give Buffalo’s patchwork receiving group a lift. The Payments have wanted a participant of Cooper’s stature since buying and selling Stefon Diggs to Houston through the offseason.

“Any time you’re feeling such as you’re enhancing as a soccer crew, I might say sure,” coach Sean McDermott stated when requested if the commerce offers the crew a jolt of power.

“However on paper is one factor, proper? On the finish of the day, can the particular person play and assist us? That’s actually what we’re right here to see over the subsequent couple of days,” he added. “And I might hope that the reply to all of that’s sure.”

Cooper was scheduled to follow Wednesday as Buffalo prepares to host Tennessee this weekend.

The Payments despatched a third-round decide within the 2025 draft and a seventh-rounder in 2026 to Cleveland for Cooper and a sixth-round decide in 2025. The swap got here a day after the Payments (4-2) beat the Jets 23-20.

For Cooper, the deal ends a disappointing and disjointed third season with Cleveland.

The 30-year-old, who was in his closing yr beneath contract, has made quite a few uncharacteristic drops that didn’t assist struggling Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson get his sport on observe.

“Transfer or rust,” Cooper posted on Instagram.

Cooper’s departure will deprive Watson of a key choice and push Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman up on the depth chart. Jeudy, who got here to Cleveland in an offseason commerce from Denver, has 20 catches for 248 yards and a landing.

Moore has 16 catches for 95 yards however suffered a rib damage in Sunday’s loss. Tillman was anticipated to do massive issues in his second season, however the third-round decide has simply three catches.

A change of surroundings could possibly be good for Cooper, the one participant in Browns historical past to have consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Following a sluggish begin, he was nonetheless main Cleveland with 24 catches for 250 yards and two touchdowns.

However he and Watson haven’t been on the identical web page for a lot of the season, and Cooper solely had 12 catches for 137 yards in his previous three video games.

Nonetheless, he was a useful a part of Cleveland’s turnaround the previous two seasons.

“We respect Amari’s laborious work, professionalism and on-field contributions all through his two-plus seasons with us,” Browns basic supervisor Andrew Berry stated. “He created many memorable moments with us and was an integral a part of our 2023 playoff crew. We want him the very best in Buffalo as he continues his NFL profession.”

Conscious the commerce was potential, McDermott spent the morning watching tape of each cross thrown to Cooper this season to get a really feel for the participant. He additionally consulted with Payments receivers coach Adam Henry, who held the identical position in Dallas in 2020 and ’21 when Cooper performed alongside CeeDee Lamb.

“The issues he stated have been optimistic,” McDermott stated. “And so we wouldn’t have most likely performed this if Adam didn’t give us his blessing.”

One of many NFL’s greatest route-runners, Cooper will give Allen an alternative choice.

Khalil Shakir leads the Payments with 20 catches for 249 yards and two touchdowns. Buffalo’s receiver group is rounded out by journeymen Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins and rookie Keon Coleman. Buffalo made room for Cooper by chopping Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who had two catches for 26 yards.

McDermott acknowledged Cooper’s capacity to realize separation on defenders is one thing the crew lacked.

The Browns’ choice to commerce certainly one of their prime gamers could possibly be an indication that the crew has given up on the season. Cleveland (1-5) dropped its fourth straight sport on Sunday, 20-16 to Philadelphia.

The Browns have but to attain 20 factors or acquire 300 yards in a sport.

Cooper’s commerce has appeared inevitable for months because the Browns determined to not give him the contract extension he was in search of this summer time. They restructured his deal, changing nearly $19 million of his $20 million base right into a assured signing bonus.

The Payments are solely on the hook for $806,667 in wage for the remainder of the season, which made Cooper — versus Adams — inexpensive for a crew that spent the offseason chopping salaries to unlock payroll for the longer term.

The Browns acquired Cooper in a 2022 commerce when the Cowboys appeared to maneuver him in a wage dump. Virtually from the second he received to Cleveland, Cooper, who starred at Alabama, grew to become a useful chief for coach Kevin Stefanski.

Nonetheless, the previous few months have been odd for the reliable veteran.

He skipped minicamp in a contract holdout earlier than the Browns reworked his deal simply earlier than coaching camp. Cooper was additionally the topic of rampant commerce rumors — largely involving San Francisco — earlier than the thrill quieted down.

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