The Cleveland Browns made calls about wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk during the offseason, reportedly putting a package together for the San Francisco 49ers wide receiver that involved Amari Cooper, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports.
Given the Browns’ interest in Aiyuk, they might look to find another player of his caliber and move Cooper in a different deal, and Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes that could be the case.
Knox named Cooper a trade candidate but noted that the Browns “won’t actively shop him.” The Green Bay Packers were listed as one of the “potential suitors” for Cooper, who posted 1,250 yards in 2023.
“Amari Cooper is the top receiver on the board based on talent and recent production. However, the Cleveland Browns certainly won’t actively shop him,” Knox wrote on September 4. “He’s their No. 1 target, and there’s little to be gained financially by trading him. Following the 30-year-old’s offseason contract adjustment, a trade would only save Cleveland $1.2 million in 2024 cap space.”
Knox then added two scenarios where a deal involving Cooper could potentially take place.
“However, there are two scenarios in which Cooper could become available. In the first, the Browns fall out of contention early and look to cash in the five-time Pro Bowler before he hits the open market in 2025 free agency,” Knox wrote. “In the second, Cleveland finds an opportunity to land a difference-maker at another position. According to NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco, the Browns were willing to send Cooper to the San Francisco 49ers in a potential Aiyuk trade.
“The chance to add a receiver of Aiyuk’s caliber has likely passed, but Cleveland could still be tempted by another premium player.”
Examining the Potential Cooper Trade Scenarios
As Knox alluded to, if the Cleveland Browns are out of the playoff race before the trade deadline, they could look to move the 30-year-old.
However, the Browns have a somewhat favorable schedule ahead of the November 5 trade deadline. With a few tough games mixed in, the Browns will also play the New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders, and Los Angeles Chargers.
If they take care of business in those four games and win some of the tough ones in that span, the Browns should, at the very least, still be in the mix for the playoffs.
In Knox’s second scenario, the Browns could look to make a deal for Cooper if they find a player better than him. There aren’t many wide receivers who make a similar impact as he does, but it’s possible that someone like Davante Adams of the Raiders, a team expected to struggle, gets moved due to his team’s performance.
How Cooper Would Help the Packers
The Green Bay Packers enter the season with lofty expectations after Jordan Love impressed in his first year as the starting quarterback.
The Packers went 9-8 and lost in the Divisional Round against the San Francisco 49ers, 24-21 last season.
While they impressed, the Packers didn’t have a wide receiver finish with more than 800 yards in 2023. Cooper would be their clear WR1, which could interest a team right in the mix to win a Super Bowl.
They have a young receiving core, and while the Cleveland Browns receiver doesn’t fit that mold, he’d be an exciting win-now player depending on the price.
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