After an ugly win over the New York Jets on Monday Night Football, the Buffalo Bills offense added a key piece to its skill position group. The Bills boosted their receiving corps by trading for Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper. The Browns shipped Cooper and a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Bills.
Buffalo sent a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 seventh-round draft selection in the other way. The news comes down on the same day that the rival Jets added former Green Bay Packer pass catcher Davante Adams after a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders. Rumors swirled around Adams’ looming exit from Vegas for the last few weeks.
How the Amari Cooper Trade Reshapes the Buffalo Offense
A reunion with Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been the subject of speculation ever since both stars left Green Bay. Following another disappointing loss for owner Woody Johnson’s team, New York is hoping bringing Adams to the fold will close the gap between them and the division-leading Bills.
Bills leading receiver Khalil Shakir returned to action against the Jets but only had two receptions for 19 yards. Second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid led all Buffalo receivers with six receptions for 51 yards. Mack Hollins and Dawson Knox caught touchdown scores from quarterback Josh Allen.
Allen’s distribution pattern against the Jets once again highlighted the early-season trend Buffalo has used to overcompensate for its lack of fielding a true No. 1 receiver. Shakir may lead the team with 249 yards, but Kincaid has 21 receptions to Shakir’s 20. Shakir, Kincaid, and Hollins share the team lead with two scores each.
Back to Normal for Buffalo Offense?
When a team has a true top receiver, it forces defenses to gameplan ways to stop that player. For all of his antics, Stefon Diggs was a top-ten receiver throughout his time in Buffalo. He had over 100 receptions and 1,110 yards in each of his four seasons with Allen.
Diggs has 37 receptions and three scores for 392 yards in his first year with the Houston Texans. Houston has one of the league’s top (fifth) passing attacks, so they’ll have multiple receivers with gaudy numbers. Buffalo, however, tried to spread out the targets left by Diggs to several names.
Shakir was the safest target for Allen, but Buffalo also relied on Hollins, Knox, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Curtis Samuel, and rookie receiver Keon Coleman. Buffalo later released Valdez-Scantling to make room on the roster for Cooper.
Coleman, Samuel, and running back James Cook were the only other receivers with double-digit receptions. Now that Buffalo has a player who has been a No. 1 receiver throughout his career, how will his arrival affect Allen and the Bills offense?
Cooper is a clear upgrade over Buffalo’s current receiving group. Coleman’s ceiling is truly unknown, as he has only played six games. Looking back at Cooper’s production shows a reliable target wherever he’s played.
Before the trade to Buffalo, Cooper was traded twice in his career. He started with the Las Vegas Raiders but was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in 2018.
The Bills Offense is Hanging With Mr. Cooper
After three and a half years playing for owner Jerry Jones, he was shipped to the Browns in 2022. Dallas would probably love to have him back in the fold. The former Cowboy, Raider, and Brown is not as outspoken as other top receivers like Diggs, Ja’Marr Chase, Tyreek Hill, or others at the position.
In a tumultuous three years in Cleveland, Cooper played with numerous signal-callers, including five in 2023. He still managed to put up over 70 receptions and 1,100 yards in both of his full seasons under head coach Kevin Stefanski. By adding a veteran receiver like Coopper, the Bills get a trusted and reliable receiver who can run all the routes in the playbook.
He can line up in the slot or on the outside and can be a weapon in intermediate and long routes. That will allow Shakir to revert to the slot to provide Allen with a true possession receiver. Coleman could still line up on the outside since he shares deep ball skills with Cooper.
Having a trusted pass catcher should also help in the screen game as Cooper isn’t afraid to block for his teammates. That will help immensely if Cook misses more time, forcing rookie Ray Davis into more action this year. The Jets may have made the flashier move by adding a favorite of Rodgers.
The Bills, however, have thrived on grinding things out under Sean McDermott. They’ll have to grind things out less with a proven commodity added to the offense. Cooper may not put up over 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns. What he will do is add a steadying presence to an offense that could use one.
Main Photo: [Jeff Lange] – USA Today Sports
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