Amari Cooper’s name has frequently surfaced in trade rumours since the summer, and on Tuesday, those rumours became a reality. The Browns have traded their wide receiver to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a third-round draft pick, while the two teams will also swap late-round picks. Cleveland will send a 2025 sixth-rounder to Buffalo, receiving a 2026 seventh-rounder in return.
Cooper, 30, was previously linked to a possible trade with the San Francisco 49ers during training camp, which would have seen Brandon Aiyuk head to Cleveland amidst contract disputes. More recently, the Kansas City Chiefs were rumoured to be interested in Cooper following Rashee Rice’s knee injury.
Despite leading the Browns in receptions (24), receiving yards (250), and receiving touchdowns (2), Cooper struggled to build a strong connection with quarterback Deshaun Watson.
He had 53 targets, but less than half resulted in completions. In Sunday’s loss to the Eagles, Cooper caught four passes on six targets for 42 yards and was flagged for a crucial facemask penalty. However, he redeemed himself by making two catches for 18 yards on the following plays.
Amari Cooper’s Early Life
Amari Cooper, a professional NFL player born in Miami, Florida, began his career in 2015. While in college, he played for the Alabama Crimson Tide, earning the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best receiver and being named a unanimous All-American in 2014. He had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons as a rookie and sophomore, and was ranked among Florida’s Top 100 by the Orlando Sentinel.
What Is Amari Cooper’s Salary?
In 2020, Cooper signed a five-year, $100 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys, which was transferred to the Browns after a March 2022 trade. The contract made Cooper the 13th-highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. His salary for 2023 and 2024 is $20 million, with an additional $3.7 million bonus, resulting in a $23.7 million annual cap hit, the second highest on the Browns’ roster after quarterback Deshaun Watson.
If the Browns had parted ways with Cooper in 2023, they would have faced a $35 million dead cap hit. However, moving on from him in 2024 would result in only $11.3 million in dead money. Cooper’s contract includes a $10 million signing bonus and $40 million guaranteed, with injury protections bringing the total guarantees to $60 million.
Upon being traded, Cleveland restructured Cooper’s deal, converting $18.88 million of his 2022 salary into a bonus, which allowed them to spread the cap hit over additional “void years” in 2025 and 2026. If no changes are made, Cooper will cost the Browns $7.5 million against the cap in 2025 and $3.7 million in dead money in 2026.
What Is Amari Cooper’s Net Worth?
In May 2022, Forbes estimated Cooper’s net worth to be $39.4 million, factoring in his salary, endorsements, and sponsorships. Over his nine-year NFL career with the Raiders, Cowboys, and Browns, Cooper has earned more than $116 million.
This includes $22 million during his four seasons with the Raiders, $54 million with the Cowboys, and $40 million in his first two seasons with the Browns.
Speaking of 2024,
