Earlier this week, the Buffalo Bills were one of three clubs involved in a blockbuster NFL deal. Of course, the most prominent of these was the Las Vegas Raiders trading Davante Adams to the New York Jets for a conditional third-round pick. The Houston Texans’ trade of running back Cam Akers to the Minnesota Vikings was almost completely overlooked in the day’s news.
In between those two transactions, the Bills traded a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper and a 2025 sixth-round pick.
In order to make room on their roster, the Bills waived two-time Super Bowl champion Marquez Valdes-Scantling (MVS).
Amari Cooper Was the Buffalo Bills’ Second Choice Behind Davante Adams
As it turns out, the Bills were actively pursuing a top-tier wide receiver prior to acquiring Cooper. However, the former Browns pass-catcher was not their first choice.
On Wednesday afternoon, Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane confirmed that he was attempting to acquire Adams from the Raiders. However, once Las Vegas traded him to the Jets, he moved on and signed with Cleveland.
According to Jay Skurski of the Buffalo Times, Beane stated, “I am always seeking. It doesn’t mean I didn’t like the group,” he said when asked if he felt compelled to complete a deal for a wide receiver after seeing the squad’s performance in the first six games.
He then stated that he had been monitoring the Adams situation with Las Vegas until Monday night. When it became clear Buffalo was out of the race, he moved on.
The Buffalo Bills Need Amari Cooper to Boost the Offense
Despite missing out on Adams, the Bills’ offense improved dramatically by adding Cooper to their wide receiver corps. Last season, with Stefon Diggs on the roster, Buffalo recorded the eighth-highest receiving yards per game in the NFL (244.4). The Bills now rank 25th in the NFL with 186.3 receiving yards per game.
With this move, Cooper becomes the team’s best wide receiver. While he started slowly in Cleveland (41.7 yards per game), he can’t be blamed for Deshaun Watson’s dismal quarterback performance.
Cooper’s high-yardage productivity should resume with Josh Allen at quarterback. Last season, he made the Pro Bowl after receiving 72 catches for 1,250 yards and five touchdowns.
Adding Cooper to this attack is just what they needed to maintain their 4-2 start.
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