In case you missed out on the breaking news yesterday, the Cleveland Browns acquired star wide receiver, Amari Cooper from the Dallas Cowboys.
The deal was done Saturday afternoon and includes Cooper and a 2022 sixth-round draft pick going to Cleveland, while the Browns gave up just a 2022 fifth-round and sixth-round draft pick.
Cowboys are finalizing a trade to send WR Amari Cooper and a sixth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for a 2022 fifth-round pick and a sixth-round pick, per league sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2022
Copper was drafted fourth overall in 2015 by the Oakland Raiders before being traded to Dallas in 2018 for a first-round draft pick.
He’s also a four-time pro bowler who had four consecutive 1,000 yard receiving seasons before falling short of that mark last year.
Did the Browns actually get a steal in Cooper or are they walking into another Odell Beckham Jr. situation?
Let’s take a look!
The Upside of the Trade
While he may be viewed as a veteran, Amari Cooper is in the prime of his football career.
At 27, he’s a year younger than Cooper Kupp who had one of the best years that a wide receiver can have in 2021.
Since he entered the league, Cooper has had very few injury problems and has stayed relatively healthy.
He also brings a much-needed downfield threat to the Browns, which they lost when they traded away OBJ.
Copper’s finished the 2021 season with 68 receptions for 865 yards and 8 touchdowns in a Dallas offense littered with receiving options.
He was often the number two or three target behind WR Ceedee Lamb and tight end Dalton Shultz, and was also competing for catches with WR Michael Gallup.
However, in his seven NFL seasons, Cooper has gone for over 1,000 yards on five occasions.
At least five teams have checked in with the #Cowboys on WR Amari Cooper. (@JFowlerESPN first)
— Bobby Thompson (@BThomps81) March 12, 2022
He also has a total of 517 catches and 46 touchdowns in his career.
Cooper is viewed by many as one of the best if not the best route runner in the league.
He’s got good downfield speed and while he struggled with dropped passes in the past, he seems to have put that problem behind him.
All-in-all, Cooper is still very much a top-tier NFL wide receiver and, while he struggled slightly last season, he still had a much better year than any Browns receiver.
The Downside of the Trade
The only real downside of the trade is the fact that Cooper has a massive contract attached to him, which is primarily the reason that Dallas was desperate to trade him.
He’s due to make $20 million during the 2022 season, which makes him one of the highest-paid Browns players.
Cooper’s contract that he signed after his trade to Dallas runs through the 2024 season and he’s slated to make $20 million for the 2023 and 2024 seasons as well.
While the Browns have ample cap space to work with this offseason, the move makes it clear that they have no intention of paying Jarvis Landry the big bucks that he desires.
In fact, within hours of making the trade for Cooper, the Browns gave Landry permission to seek a trade.
Another reason that the Cowboys may have parted ways with Cooper is that he and quarterback Dak Prescott got into an apparent altercation after Dallas’ final game last season.
Whether or not this factored into the trade is unknown, but it could be cause for concern if it’s true, as Cooper is about to work with another hot-tempered QB.
At any rate, Cooper joins the Browns and is immediately their best receiver and biggest passing threat.
However, the deal does have all Browns fans hoping and praying that this won’t be part two of an OBJ situation.
NEXT: Browns Give Jarvis Landry Permission To Seek Trade
