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The Buffalo Bills made a huge move to bolster their offense on Tuesday when they agreed to a trade with the Cleveland Browns that sent wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Bills for draft compensation.
Cooper is exactly what the Bills need on the outside. He gives Josh Allen a target that can work in the intermediate and deep areas of the field and use his gravity to provide some space for the other, less talented pass catchers to thrive. If he can get acclimated quickly in Buffalo, this offense has a chance to take off.
Getting used to this Bills offense may not be the easiest task. Star quarterback Josh Allen said he will spend some extra time with Cooper in order to get him up to speed, but it may not be something that clicks right away, according to Matt Parrino of New York Upstate.
“It’s not the easiest thing, just based on verbiage and terminology and what system he was in before this,” Allen said, per Parrino. “And our system is not the easiest to learn. But again, the things that I’ve heard about him and know about him, he’s a very smart guy. He’s going to work extremely hard, and he’s going to figure this out.”
The Bills are unsure if Cooper will be ready to suit up in Week 7 against the Titans. If he does dress, it will likely be in a limited, simplified role. Regardless, he will be a massive addition whenever he's ready to go.
What Amari Cooper brings to the Bills' offense
The Amari Cooper trade addresses the Bills' biggest weakness. In Buffalo's two losses this season, it has struggled to generate any separation on the outside with the wide receiver group of Khalil Shakir, Mack Hollins and Keon Coleman, and Cooper is someone who should be able to open things up for all of them.
Against man coverage, Cooper can use his footwork to get open on shorter routes and is also able to beat them down the field, giving Josh Allen a target that he can rely on outside the numbers. If teams opt to play more zone coverage to keep Allen contained as a runner, Cooper excels in the intermediate areas of the field, especially on in-breaking routes. Allen should be able to find him on those in a way that Deshaun Watson hasn't been able to this season.
Overall, Cooper takes the pressure off of a Bills offense that, at times, has felt like everything was difficult for it this season. The current version of the offense requires Josh Allen to be Superman on a far too frequent basis in order for it to have consistent success. Now, with Cooper in the fold, it should have an easier time staying on schedule in the passing game.
