One player who has not been present for the Cleveland Browns’ offseason program is veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper. Even the recent mandatory minicamp was skipped by the former first-round pick.
The reason for Amari Cooper’s absence is that he is seeking a contract extension. 2024 is the final year of a five-year, $100 million deal he signed with the Dallas Cowboys on March 17th, 2020.
Given the boom in the wide receiver market, it should come as no surprise that Amari Cooper is looking to cash in. Wide receivers of different tiers are all cashing in.
After turning 30 years old in June, this could be his last chance to land a lucrative multi-year deal. If that wasn’t clear by his training camp absence, a recent TikTok video that was shared certainly makes it clear.
ESPN Cleveland shared a video of Amari Cooper being challenged to race by a content creator in a TikTok video shared by the sports gambling app betr. Cooper declines the challenge because he doesn’t want to risk getting injured.
“I’m trying to get paid this year,” Cooper said in the video, in reference to his contract situation.
That is the first comment we have heard from Amari Cooper about his current contract situation. It wasn’t a secret that he was seeking more money, but for anyone who may have wanted more proof, there is your confirmation.
The next few weeks are going to be very important for the Cleveland Browns. If a new deal isn’t worked out, a holdout into training camp could certainly occur.
One positive is that the team did add Jerry Jeudy in an offseason trade with the Denver Broncos, working out a three-year, $52 million extension as part of it. Elijah Moore remains in the mix and reports of second-year player Cedric Tillman are positive.
Jeudy has some untapped upside as a first-round pick from the 2020 NFL Draft the Cleveland Browns believe in. But, he wasn’t acquired to be a replacement for Cooper in 2024; he was expected to complement him as an upgrade at the No. 2 receiver spot.
If the Cleveland Browns want to reach their potential, they need Amari Cooper on the field. Getting a deal done and ridding themselves of the distraction would be best for everyone involved.
