On the afternoon of Tuesday October 15th, 2024, the news broke that the Cleveland Browns traded wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills. The Bills receive Amari Cooper and a 2025 6th round draft pick. The Browns in return get a 2025 3rd round pick and a 2026 7th round draft pick. Cooper’s production this season was not where it was the last two seasons with the Browns, which led to this move being made.

In the 2023 off season the Cleveland Browns traded with the Dallas Cowboys to get Cooper. Essentially the Browns gave up a 5th round draft pick to get him. Cooper was then given a contract extension by the Browns. This was the last year of the that contract. And the final year was restructured just prior to training camp last July to end Cooper’s holdout. Cooper just turned 30 years old this offseason and he has led the NFL in dropped passes. He did not seem like himself this season and he played like he didn’t want to be in Cleveland. This was even though he said that he wanted to retire a Brown. The question now to ask is this just the beginning of more moves for the Browns?

The Cleveland Browns prior to the start of the 2024 season had 13 players on their roster making 10 million dollars or more. Since the start of the season 5 of those 13 players have been playing to the level of their contracts. I think it is safe to say that none of the underachieving players are safe. With the trade deadline of November 5th approaching the Browns could make more moves to unload overpaid players on the roster.

This trade of Amari Cooper was the right move to make at this time. He was going to leave in free agency next offseason and at the very least the Browns get a 3rd round pick. With the disappointment of 2024 looming, I can see a serous retooling of the Cleveland Browns roster. And it seems like the retooling is long overdue.