Former Cleveland Browns receiver Amari Cooper remained patient in free agency and finally landed a deal to continue his NFL career.
Cooper has signed a one-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, reuniting with the team that drafted him No. 4 overall in 2015.
The 31-year-old Cooper was a Pro Bowler as recently as 2023 with the Browns. However, his play fell off a cliff last season. He started the year with the Browns, grabbing 24 receptions for 250 yards and two touchdowns. Cooper was traded to the Buffalo Bills midseason but never emerged as a difference-maker for the AFC contender. He caught just 20 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns over eight games.
Cooper will have an opportunity to produce with the Raiders under new head coach Pete Carroll. The Raiders’ No. 1 receiver, Jakobi Meyers, requested a trade on Monday. The unit is mostly unproven beyond Meyers.
Rumors were stirred up earlier this month that Cooper was planning to step away from football. However, the rumor originated from an online troll account and Monday’s signing confirms that Cooper is back to add to his already strong resume.
Cooper is a five-time Pro Bowler with 10,033 yards, 711 receptions and 64 touchdowns on his resume through 154 career games.
Browns Still Sorting Out Wide Receiver Depth
The Browns are still finalizing their depth at wide receiver. Jerry Jeudy is coming off his first Pro Bowl campaign and will be the top option. Beyond that, there’s uncertainty in Cleveland.
The Browns are hoping that former third-round pick Cedric Tillman can take a leap and emerge as a solid No. 2 option. Isaiah Bond, DeAndre Carter, Diontae Johnson, Jamari Thrash and Gage Larvadain are battling for spots on the final roster.
Cleveland.com’s Dan Labbe predicted Larvadain — who has had a strong camp and preseason — as the odd man out.
“On performance alone, Larvadain should make it over Johnson, but the Browns brought Johnson in and kept him here,” Labbe said. “Why go to all that trouble just to cut him at the end of camp? Carter as the primary returner eats up a spot, too. If Larvadain makes it, one of them won’t.”
Browns Score With Isaiah Bond Signing
The Browns’ wide receiver plans featured a late addition with the signing of Bond, a former Texas speedster who recently cleared up his off-field legal issues. Bond inked a fully guaranteed three-year deal with Cleveland worth $3.018 million.
Once projected as a mid-round pick, Bond slid out of draft contention as teams hesitated to take a chance while his legal situation was unresolved. The Browns kept in contact with Bond after the draft and his familiarity with offensive coordinator Tommy Rees — who he worked with during a stint at Alabama — made Cleveland an easy choice.
“(Rees) already knows my skill set,” Bond said during his introductory press conference. “Andrew Berry and my agent have been talking since the draft and also I admired (Jerry) Jeudy growing up. That’s one reason I went to Alabama, and when my agent said, ‘The Browns want you,’ I said, ‘Let’s go just to be under the wing of a guy like Jerry Jeudy to pick his brain and for him to give me some tips.’ I said it was a no-brainer.”
The Browns open the regular season on Sept. 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
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