The Buffalo Bills will likely lose Pro Bowl wide receiver free agent Amari Cooper this upcoming offseason. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Bills want to bring back Cooper despite his low production with the team last year. Originally selected in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, the former Alabama product became one of the best pass catchers in the league known for bringing in deep balls after having back-to-back successful seasons that came with more than 1,000 yards each. Since the Raiders didn’t have a promising offense at the time, the team dealt him to the Dallas Cowboys in a trade where he began to flourish, recording consecutive Pro Bowls.
However, the emergence of CeeDee Lamb made Cooper expendable after trading him to the Browns. Cooper was still a solid veteran option in Cleveland’s passing game and kept putting up 1,000-yard seasons despite the quarterback situation there. The Bills originally brought in Cooper in a trade midway through 2024 to salvage the passing attack for Josh Allen after trading Stefon Diggs last offseason. He’s showing signs of decline but Cooper could easily spark interest from several suitors.
ESPN: Bills Will Likely Lose Seven-Time 1,000-Yard Free Agent Amari Cooper – Top 5 Team Fits Ranked
5. Kansas City Chiefs
This may be the least likely destination since the Chiefs could bring back either DeAndre Hopkins or Marquise Brown on a new contract. Depending on what they do, they could be forced to trade for a young unproven wideout from another team and develop him in Patrick Mahomes’ passing game. Since the team doesn’t have the financial landscape to sign a guy like Tee Higgins, the Chiefs could resort to offering Cooper a one-year deal.
4. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers need any help to give Ladd McConkey some veteran presence in the aerial attack. Quentin Johnston is a bust of his own from his rookie year and there’s no getting better this upcoming year. Justin Herbert’s pass game would be better off adding Cooper for those throws while re-signing Joshua Palmer to bring in some extra relief.
3. Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers finally got some capable weapons for quarterback Bryce Young in Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker, but it’s yet to be proven what they could do beyond the strong end of the 2024 campaign. Carolina could put Adam Thielen on the trade block for the right deal if a legitimate contender offers his services for one more season to win a ring. Cooper might be slowing down but he’s easily the No. 1 receiver on this roster to help boost the stock for the Panthers passing game.
2. New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints don’t have the financial freedom to acquire a superstar talent to pair with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Head Coach Kellen Moore could benefit from reuniting with Cooper to help boost the pass-catching unit. The chemistry is already there since their time in Dallas so this could increase the Saints’ playoff chances. Cooper won’t bring this passing game back to life but he could easily help make Moore’s life easier if he desires to make a switch at quarterback this season.
1. Dallas Cowboys
This would be a no-brainer signing for the Dallas Cowboys and probably the only one the team would make since they’ve been silent on the market for several offseasons. Originally, the team dealt him since they were in favorable hands with Lamb. However, they need him back as part of the roster to help Lamb in that passing attack. Cooper might not be the same Cowboy but it’s an urgent upgrade after trading for an unproven wideout Jonathan Mingo.
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