Amari Cooper makes it clear he wants a new contract from Browns

In nine seasons with three different teams, wide receiver Amari Cooper has hauled in 667 passes for 9,486 yards and 60 touchdowns. He’s totaled at least 1,000 receiving yards in seven seasons, and been named to five Pro Bowls. He’s about to begin his third year with the Cleveland Browns, and he’s been a highly productive player for Kevin Stefanski’s club.

The Browns are very much in the AFC North title picture (there’s been no division crown since 1989) and Super Bowl hunt after a strong showing in 2023 despite a lot of adversity at the quarterback position. Cooper played and started in 15 games and finished second on the club with 72 catches. However, those receptions were for 1,250 yards (5 touchdowns), an impressive 17.4 yards per grab.

What’s ahead for the 30-year-old performer, who could possibly become a free agent in 2025?

Amari Cooper is looking for a big payday

In a recent interview with Betr (a gaming company), the nine-year veteran was questioned by an interviewer on whether the wideout had “enough speed to beat him in a race.” Cooper did not take the bait. Instead, he explained that he was “trying to get paid this year” and was not “willing to pull a hammy or something."

A little over a week ago on NFL Network (via Pro Football Talk), Browns’ general manager Andrew Berry had this to say about the productive pass-catcher.

“What I will say about Amari is since he’s been a member of the Cleveland Browns, he’s obviously been a high-level, Pro Bowl-caliber receiver. But he’s also a great teammate and he’s a great professional. We’re happy to have him as a member of the organization.

“Sometimes all teams will have periods where they go through this type of situation, but it does not change our affinity for Amari. We’ll navigate the business considerations, the business aspects, as it goes, but he is a big part of our team, and just as important, he’s a big part of our culture.”

There’s been a lot of money thrown around to wide receivers this offseason (Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Bown, and Jaylen Waddle, to name a few). It will be extremely interesting to see where this is headed with the franchise, and this highly-reliable player as well.