The terms underrated and underappreciated get thrown around much more liberally than they probably should, but in some cases, those are the exact tags that should be bestowed upon some of the best under the radar players in the NFL. One player who has a solid case to make as one of the league's most underappreciated wide receivers is Cleveland Browns wideout Amari Cooper. Cooper, a five-time Pro Bowler, is entering his tenth season in the NFL. His 9,486 receiving yards are 22nd-most in NFL history through nine seasons, according to StatMuse, and with another 1,000 yard receiving season this year, he'd climb into the top 50 of career receiving yards.
If you don't want to take my word for it that Cooper is among the league's most slept on pass-catchers, that's fine. But someone who knows a whole heck of a lot more than me feels the same way. Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay is an eleven-year veteran who has lined up across from some of the most talented wideouts the league has ever seen. And when he was asked this question by former NFL player turned podcast host Chris Long, his immediate response was to namecheck the Browns' most dangerous weapon in the passing game.
“A guy that has been a consistent thousand-yard receiver and has been doing his thing and people still don't give him credit is really Amari Cooper,” Darius Slay said on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast (h/t Grant Gordon of NFL.com). “I really be thinking he's the most underappreciated receiver in the league.”
For nearly a decade now, Amari Cooper has proven to be one of the most complete wide receivers in the game, but since being traded by Dallas to the Cleveland Browns in March 2022, Cooper has put together his most productive two-season stretch. Despite inconsistent quarterback play, Cooper has hauled in 150 receptions for 2,410 yards and 14 touchdowns over the last two seasons, a testament to how well-rounded he is.
“He's really the only receiver that really, I truly think that has a true route tree as can run all the routes,” Slay elaborated. “Lot of guys got special abilities, can be running faster or somebody that's 6-6, 6-5, can just Moss you cause he's bigger than you. But Amari Cooper, off the line of scrimmage, he's amazing; after the catch, he's amazing; he can attack the ball.”
Despite glowing praise from one of the league's top corners, Amari Cooper finds himself in a situation where he could feel like the Browns aren't taking care of him. Cooper has one year left on his current deal, and has expressed a desire to extend his contract and remain in Cleveland, but thus far, no agreement between the two sides has been reached.
“I'm seeing right now that Cleveland don't want to pay him. They need to pay that man that money,” Slay said.
Can the Browns and Amari Cooper come to an agreement?
After the Browns traded for former Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy back in March, they immediately signed the 25-year-old receiver to a three-year, $58 million extension. With that extension, many viewed this as a sign that the Browns weren't intending to extend or re-sign Amari Cooper. Cooper's current deal pays him an average of $20 million per year, which given the recent boom in the wide receiver market, makes him the 20th-highest paid wideout in the league.
Cooper was a minicamp holdout for the Browns and will be fined for each of the three days that he missed, and when Browns coach Kevin Stefanski was asked about his #1 receiver's absence — rooted in his desire to reach a new deal before the start of the season — he tried to put the focus on the players who were in attendance.
“These situations, I understand that they do come up,” Kevin Stefanski said, per Nick Shook of NFL.com. “I'll really leave all of that between Amari, Amari's agent and AB (general manager Andrew Berry) and those type of conversations. Again, as you guys know, we focus on guys that are here. We'll get some good work in and really keep it at that.”
While Kevin Stefanski may claim that it's all up to Cooper, his agent, and Browns general manager Andrew Berry, one would expect that he's hopeful that the sides can come to an agreement before training camp begins. However, it's been nearly three weeks since Cooper's three unexcused minicamp absences, and the two sides have yet to make progress on a deal.
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