Browns could turn to a familiar name to provide depth at a position of need

For most Browns fans, the only move left they want to see this offseason is re-signing running back Nick Chubb. After using two draft picks on Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson while also negotiating a pay cut with Jerome Ford, Cleveland would likely have to move on from Ford or Pierre Strong Jr. to make room for Chubb.

Although one fan-favorite's tenure might come to an end, there's a familiar name on the market who would make a ton of sense on the Browns' end at the very least. Cleveland opted against taking a receiver in the draft, and the only offseason acquisition at the position was Diontae Johnson. The upside with Johnson is there, but he's far from a sure thing after spending time with three different teams in 2024.

In a room without certainty, a reunion with one of the best receivers in franchise history, Amari Cooper, would make a lot of sense for the Browns. Cleveland moved on from Cooper last year to get some draft capital back, knowing their season wasn't going in the direction they had previously hoped. Should Cooper be open to it, he would bring much-needed consistency and depth to a position that gets very thin after the top few options.

Browns could turn to a reunion with Amari Cooper to provide depth in a thin receiver room

Following back-to-back seasons of at least 1,100 yards in his first two years with the Browns, Cooper struggled in his six games with Cleveland in 2024. He dropped 10 passes in those six games a year ago, after only having seven drops in 15 games in 2023 and 12 drops in 17 games in 2022. His time with Buffalo didn't go as expected either, as he averaged 37.1 yards per game in the regular season with just six catches in their three postseason games.

Heading into his age-31 season, it would be completely reasonable for Cooper to prefer landing spots that are better-positioned to contend in 2025. He likely wouldn't have a significant role on a contending team after an underwhelming season, so the Browns could make sense for Cooper if he wants a clearer path to regular playing time.

It would be remiss to talk about Cooper potentially returning to the Browns without bringing up the short history between him and Joe Flacco. In the four regular season games Cooper and Flacco played together, Cooper averaged 121.3 receiving yards per game and went for at least 75 yards in every game after their first game together. His career-best performance of 11 catches, 265 yards, and two touchdowns came with Flacco in Week 16 against the Texans.

With the increased likelihood that the Browns will have a young quarterback under center for a large chunk of games in 2025, it would be in their best interest to add more depth to help make the rookies' lives easier. As long as there's no hard feelings between the organization and Cooper after their split last year, a reunion could be mutually beneficial to shore up a position room that's lacking depth.