Amari Cooper didn’t mince words when addressing his slow start to the season, candidly admitting he needs to step up for the Cleveland Browns.
Cooper has just five catches this season for 27 yards. He’s been targeted a team-high 17 times. Some throws from quarterback Deshaun Watson have been off-target, but a few key drops from Cooper have stood out.
Cooper has almost a decade under his belt in the NFL and isn’t worried about the slow start.
“That’s why they say experience is the best teacher,” Cooper said on Thursday, September 19. “I go back on reflect on those moments and it seemed like the end of the world then, but it wasn’t, and I was able to bounce back. That’s why I’m so assured that I will this time.”
The five-time Pro Bowler also vowed to be better for Watson, who is looking to take another step forward against the New York Giants in Week 3.
“I have to be better for my quarterback. That’s the mindset I go in with — to make his job easier,” Cooper said.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Confident in Cooper Connection
The connection, or lack thereof, between Watson and Cooper, has been prevalent since the start of the year. However, Watson carries a similar attitude to Cooper in terms of turning things around.
“It’s part of the game. It sometimes depends on the defensive coordinators and the way they scheme. Sometimes it’s the way that the game is kind of playing out,” Watson said on Wednesday. “But, you know, we never lose faith in each other. And it’s a long season and we’re just gonna continue to work and figure it out. But when it do click, it’s definitely going to be very exciting for both of us.”
The Browns offense took a step forward against the Jacksonville Jaguars, especially in the first half. The offense looked cohesive, and Watson was more decisive with his throws.
What will give the unit a boost is the eventual return of starting tackles Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin. Both big men are still dealing with injuries they sustained last season but are inching closer to a return. The duo have practiced this week, which is a step in the right direction. But their Week 3 statuses are still to be determined.
Amari Cooper in Contract Year With Browns
Cooper has been everything the Browns could have imaged when they sent two late-round picks to the Cowboys for his services in 2022. In 34 games in a Browns’ uniform he has 2,437 yards and 14 touchdowns.
But this season is especially important to Cooper, who is in the final year of his contract. The Browns declined to offer him a long-term extension this offseason, instead guaranteeing his $20 million salary for this season and adding $5 million in incentives.
Proving he’s still a Pro Bowl-level threat will be big for Cooper, with it setting the bar for what he’ll be able to get as a free agent next offseason. He’d like to stay in Cleveland but understands how the league works.
“It’s been nothing but success here in terms of what I’ve been able to do on the field. I look to get better each and every year while I’m here,” Cooper said in July. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So I’m not really trying to go somewhere else. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. I would rather stay.
“I don’t really like change. If change happens, which you know, a lot of times, it inevitably does, you have to be able to adjust and adapt to any situation. So I’m very adaptable, but at the same time, I don’t necessarily like the change.”
Cooper, Watson and the Browns have a chance to get on track against the 0-2 Giants this week as a 6.5-point home favorite.
