After spending the latter half of 2024 with the Buffalo Bills, wide receiver Amari Cooper is set to hit free agency in search of a new contract. Buffalo acquired Cooper from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a third-round pick, but the veteran receiver struggled to deliver a strong return on investment. Battling a wrist injury, the former top-five pick managed just 20 receptions for 297 yards and two touchdowns over eight regular-season games. His postseason production was also limited, as he recorded only six catches for 41 yards across Buffalo’s three-game playoff run.
Despite his underwhelming stint with the Bills, Spotrac projects Cooper to land a two-year, $28 million deal in free agency. While this is a significant contract for an aging receiver, Buffalo may be hesitant to commit that level of money given his recent struggles. If the Bills opt to move on, teams in need of receiving help—such as the Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina Panthers, or Jacksonville Jaguars—could be potential suitors for the Alabama product.
Amari Cooper’s Projected Contract Could Price Him Out of Buffalo
The Los Angeles Chargers are facing one of the weakest wide receiver situations in the league, and head coach Jim Harbaugh is well aware of it. After multiple failed attempts to trade for Diontae Johnson throughout the season, Los Angeles entered the playoffs with second-round pick Ladd McConkey and the inconsistent Quentin Johnston as their starting receivers. While McConkey played exceptionally well, Johnston and the rest of the depth chart failed to meet expectations.
Justin Herbert didn’t have his best performance against the Houston Texans, but his play was still much better than his box score reflected. The Chargers need to add at least one reliable receiver during the offseason, and with over $63 million in projected cap space, they have the financial flexibility to offer Amari Cooper a solid contract. They could also free up additional space by cutting Joey Bosa. While Cooper might not be the top target on the market, signing him instead of someone like Tee Higgins would allow the Chargers to allocate more resources toward acquiring Kansas City Chiefs impending free agent Trey Smith.
Other Fits
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen is likely to return for the 2025 season, but with only one year left on his contract and struggles to stay on the field, retirement has crossed his mind. As Thielen nears the end of his career, the Panthers need a proven veteran to help support their young playmakers. While Amari Cooper may not be a 1,000-yard receiver at this stage, he could thrive in a supporting role. Playing situationally, Cooper could mentor rising stars like Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker, helping them develop into long-term NFL contributors.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a budding star in 2024 first-round pick Brian Thomas at wide receiver, but they could use an additional reliable target for quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Christian Kirk is a likely cut candidate, and the Gabriel Davis contract has never made sense, except for Trent Baalke. While Cooper may not be the player he once was, the current version is still an upgrade over Davis, and the Jaguars could justify meeting his contract demands to improve their receiving corps.
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