On Saturday, the Dallas Cowboys traded star wideout Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a fifth- and sixth-round draft pick. The Browns weren’t the only team who had interest in Cooper though.
Per NFL insider Jonathan Jones, the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets all had interest in a Cooper trade. The Browns clearly had the best offer, however.
“Jaguars, Dolphins and Jets were among the teams interested in trading for Cooper,” Jones tweeted.
Jaguars, Dolphins and Jets were among the teams interested in trading for Cooper.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) March 12, 2022
The key for the Browns wasn’t the draft picks. Cleveland absorbed Cooper’s entire salary. That was the game changer.
The Cowboys didn’t want to pay Cooper the money anymore. They’re strapped for cash, especially because of Ezekiel Elliott’s contract. Cooper’s salary became too much for the NFC East team.
Cooper, meanwhile, now heads to Cleveland. The Browns have been down this road before. They acquired Odell Beckham Jr. three years ago hoping for him to become a staple of their offense. It never transpired as the team focused on its rushing attack and never got the best out of OBJ. Perhaps Cooper could be different, though.
Cooper will be a key player for the Browns this upcoming season as they try and bounce back after a frustrating year.
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