The Buffalo Bills survived a vintage Aaron Rodgers Hail Mary on Monday Night Football in Week 6. Buffalo hung on to beat the New York Jets 23-20 and improve to 4-2 on the season. And the team got another win on Tuesday when the Bills landed veteran receiver Amari Cooper in a trade with the Cleveland Browns.

The five-time Pro Bowl WR had been in Cleveland since 2022 and put up back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons entering 2024. The Bills get Cooper and a sixth-round draft pick in 2025 and send the Browns a third-round pick in next year’s draft as well as a seventh rounder in 2026.

The paltry return for a difference-making wideout had Pat McAfee stunned. “This one feels like a heist,” he said of the trade, via NFL on ESPN. “Wow. That feels real light to get Amari Cooper on your team. That is insane to add an instant playmaker,” McAfee said. “Josh Allen just got a great weapon… Congrats to the Bills,” he added, per NFL on ESPN.

Cooper is making just $1.2 million in 2024, and the Bills will take on $807K of his salary, per ESPN’s Field Yates on X. It's an absolute bargain for wide receivers in the current NFL market.

Did the Bills steal Amari Cooper from the Browns?

Sep 22, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper (2) makes a touchdown reception under coverage by New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks (3) during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field.
Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Buffalo is in first place in the AFC East after the team’s Week 6 victory. Yet despite the Bills’ early season success, the passing game has taken a step back in 2024 after trading wideout Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texas in the offseason.

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The Bills rank 25th in passing yards per game, averaging a meager 186.3 yards per contest. Recognizing the dearth of pass catchers on the team, Buffalo made a move to bring in Cooper.

The 30-year-old wideout has 24 receptions for 250 yards and two touchdowns through six games with the Browns this season. He’ll step into a far better situation catching passes from Josh Allen as Cooper had been subjected to some truly awful quarterback play by Deshaun Watson.

The Browns saddled themselves with Watson by signing him to one of the worst contracts in NFL history. Calls to replace the spiraling QB have gone unanswered as head coach Kevin Stefanski is sticking with Watson as his starter.

Cleveland is now 1-5 on the season and in last place in the AFC North. The Bills, on the other hand, look to expand their division lead and improve to 5-2 when they take on the Tennessee Titans at home in Week 7.

The Cooper move comes on the heels of another huge wide receiver trade. Disgruntled Las Vegas Raider Davante Adams will reunite with quarterback Aaron Rodgers as the Jets completed a trade to bring the wideout to New York.