Ex-Bills WR Predicted to Join Division Rival

The Buffalo Bills hoped to give their Super Bowl chances a big boost ahead of last season’s NFL trade deadline when they acquired Pro Bowl receiver Amari Cooper in a deal with the Cleveland Browns, but his impact ended up being limited.

Now, Cooper could be off to join a division rival after hitting free agency.

ESPN’s Matt Bowen suggested that the New York Jets could be the best fit for Cooper, giving the rebuilding team a trusted veteran pass-catcher.

Amari Cooper Could Play Supporting Role in New York

Cooper has remained unsigned since hitting free agency, with no solid reports linking him to any teams and no visits being reported. But Bowen suggested he could fit in well with the Jets, adding another target for quarterback Justin Fields without making waves in the locker room.

“There’s a need for competition in the Jets’ wide receiver room opposite of No. 1 option Garrett Wilson,” Bowen wrote. “With Allen Lazard and Josh Reynolds next on the depth chart, Cooper could come in and fight for work. Yes, the 30-year-old is showing signs of decline on tape, but he is still a detailed route runner who can uncover. He could be a solid target for quarterback Justin Fields on play-action concepts, getting open on deep in-breakers.”

Cooper had an uneven impact in his eight games in Buffalo last season, making some big plays but disappearing at other times, including a no-target game in a win over the Detroit Lions. Cooper ended his eight games in Buffalo with 20 catches for 297 yards and two touchdowns.

Bills Open to Amari Cooper’s Return

Bills general manager Brandon Beane said the team would be open to Cooper returning to the team in 2025, though there have been no tangible signs of progress toward a new deal. Buffalo News insider Jay Skurski warned in a mailbag published on April 12 that the lack of interest in Cooper across the league could be a warning sign of his diminished play.

“The market for Cooper is speaking loudly,” Skurski wrote. “To this point, he has not even taken any reported visits to teams. If the Bills wanted to bring him back, they seemingly would have already done so – unless the sides were so far apart on money that it became clear no deal was going to happen.”

Skurski added that it remains unknown whether Cooper is on the decline of his career or just suffered a disjointed season where he was thrust into a new offense midway through.

“Cooper turns 31 in June and it’s fair to wonder exactly how much he’s got left,” Skurski wrote.

The Bills may not have as much room for Cooper on the roster since that prediction, with the team adding the steady Elijah Moore in free agency. Moore reached at least 450 yards in each of his four NFL seasons, split between the Jets and Browns.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott has also called on second-year receiver Keon Coleman to step into a bigger role in 2025, hinting that the team was disappointed with his output in an injury-shortened rookie year.

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