Getty Jerry Jones wearing a headset
The Cleveland Browns have had a rough start to the season, sitting at 1-3 entering Week 5. The Browns’ offense has continued to be an issue, a problem as they looked to improve under Deshaun Watson for another year.
The lack of chemistry between Watson and Amari Cooper has been one of the many downfalls to Cleveland’s offense. Cooper only has 16 catches on the year for 148 yards. Outside of his 86-yard and two-touchdown performance in Week 3, Cooper has just 62 yards, nine receptions, and no touchdowns.
On the last season of his five-year, $100 million contract, the Browns could look to move the star wide receiver if they don’t turn it around soon.
If Cleveland does move him, K.D. Drummond of Cowboys Wire listed him as one of five AFC North players the Dallas Cowboys “must ask about” before the trade deadline.
“Cooper made waves this summer, threatening a holdout and got the final year of his contract (originally written by the Cowboys) guaranteed,” Drummond wrote on September 28. “But if the Browns continue to flounder, perhaps the Cleveland front office would bite the bullet and send him back down south.
“Cooper had a career high in yards in 2024, 1,250, and would make a great compliment to Lamb; they’ve proven what they could be as a duo already.”
‘Might Make Sense’ for Browns to Trade Cooper
Las Vegas Raiders star wide receiver Davante Adams requested a trade on October 1, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported that the Cleveland Browns “will likely inquire” about Adams.
However, she later questioned what that could mean for Cooper, writing that “it might make sense” for the Browns to trade him due to only having one more year on his contract.
“What does all of this mean for Cooper, who skipped the mandatory offseason program and held out of mandatory minicamp in a contract dispute? He got his $20 million salary fully guaranteed before training camp, which is what he wanted most, plus an additional $5 million in incentives,” Cabot wrote on October 2. “But he didn’t get the coveted extension, and the guarantee didn’t stop the Browns from trying to trade for 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk during camp.
“With Cooper’s contract up after this season, it might make sense for the Browns to move him and get something in return. He might also be part of a swap for another receiver.”
Why the Cowboys Make Sense for Cooper
Cooper, now 30-years-old, played with the Dallas Cowboys from 2018 to 2021. During his time with the Cowboys, he posted two seasons with over 1,110 yards. He also had six at least touchdowns in three of his four years with the team.
Jerry Trotta of FanSided believes Cooper is a “match made in heaven for the Cowboys.” His reasoning behind that is due to Spotrac reporting on September 30 that the Cleveland Browns converted all of Cooper’s 2024 salary besides $1.2 million into a signing bonus.
If a team were to trade for him now, he’d only be owed $941,000. If a team traded for him at the deadline, he’d be owed $605,000, making him more than affordable.
“This is a match made in heaven for the Cowboys, who never should have traded Cooper to begin with,” Trotta wrote on October 1. “At the time Cooper was shipped to Cleveland for pocket change, CeeDee Lamb wasn’t due for an extension for another full season. In typical Dallas fashion, they waited until 2024 to sign Lamb, which made the decision to offload Cooper all the more puzzling.”
Jon Conahan covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. Since 2019, his sports coverage has appeared at Sports Illustrated, oddschecker, ClutchPoints and Sportskeeda. More about Jon Conahan
