CLEVELAND — *EDITOR'S NOTE: The above video is from a previous story.
Heading into the offseason, seemingly everyone agreed the Browns had to upgrade their receiving core.
It appears they have done just that, and some might even call it a steal.
According to multiple media reports, Cleveland has agreed to a deal to acquire four-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper from the Dallas Cowboys. CBS Sports' Josina Anderson was the first to break the news, and ESPN's Adam Schefter claims the Browns will receive Cooper and a sixth-round draft pick in exchange for fifth and sixth-round selections in 2022.
A former first-round pick out of Alabama, Cooper has caught 517 passes for 7,076 yards and 46 touchdowns over his seven NFL seasons. He was originally traded from the Oakland Raiders to Dallas in the middle of 2018, and has since helped the Cowboys win a pair of NFC East division titles.
Cooper's production dipped somewhat in 2021: Although he tied a career-high with eight scored, he averaged only 12.7 yards per reception and failed to crack even 900 yards total. With a $22-million cap hit this year and other young receivers like CeeDee Lamb on the roster, the 27-year-old became expendable, and reports surfaced last week that the Cowboys would either trade or release him.
In contrast to Dallas, the Browns wide-receiver room is a virtual mess, especially after Odell Beckham Jr. failed to connect with quarterback Baker Mayfield and bolted to the Los Angeles Rams (whom he helped win the Super Bowl) after his release. Second-year man Donovan Peoples-Jones led the team with just 597 receiving yards this past season, while former Pro Bowler and fan-favorite Jarvis Landry had just 570 yards and could be a cap casualty in the coming weeks.
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Cooper is currently signed through 2024 for a total of $66 million. However, if the Browns were not satisfied with his play, they could release him at a cost of only $4 million next year and $2 million the year after that.