Following another heart-breaking playoff exit for the Buffalo Bills, wide receiver Amari Cooper is now in the open market as an unrestricted free agent. Coming off his least productive season to date, the question teams are asking is: How much does Cooper have left in the tank?
Does Amari Cooper Still Have It?
The 30-year-old receiver split time with the Cleveland Browns and the Bills in 2024. However, after amassing a career-low 547 yards in 14 games, Cooper’s value going into free agency is quite low. But that’s not to say there won’t be interest from teams needing pass catchers.
There is still evident upside to bringing Cooper on board. First, he’s an established veteran who can be relied upon on third downs. When Cooper had Josh Allen as his quarterback for eight games this season, he caught 62% of passes thrown his way for 297 yards, compared to the 250 yards he recorded in six games with the Browns.
Cooper proved his reliability with the Bills, putting up solid numbers while being targeted just 32 times. His 85 total targets across 2024 were also a career low for the veteran.
Another reason Cooper could be an important signing is his veteran leadership. Whoever acquires him will get a receiver who knows the ins and outs of the NFL and can serve as a mentor to younger players.
There is always value in picking up a player like Cooper, who has eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in six seasons with three different teams. According to Spotrac, he could get a two-year $28 million deal in free agency.
4 Potential Landing Spots for Cooper
In 2024, Cooper made it clear that he could still be a serviceable NFL receiver. With free agency having started, here are four teams who could make the call for Cooper’s services.
Green Bay Packers
Green Bay is lacking a proven wide receiver going into the offseason. Jayden Reed has shown flashes of stardom, Romeo Doubs was a reliable target, and Christian Watson can stretch the field with his deep-threat ability. However, inconsistency and injuries ravaged the group, and none of the three managed to cross 1,000 receiving yards in the year.
The Packers have a franchise quarterback in Jordan Love and would love to surround him with an explosive wideout like Cooper. Part of Cooper’s lack of production last season resulted from being targeted less by Allen, and that could change in Green Bay with Love and might bring out whatever best is still left in him.
Las Vegas Raiders
Can Cooper return to the team that drafted him? The Raiders had the biggest need for the quarterback position this offseason, and with Geno Smith arriving to fill that, Las Vegas could now look to upgrade the receiver room for their new quarterback, as they have around $80 million in cap space.
Jakobi Meyers was the Raiders’ leading wide receiver in 2024, with rookie tight end Brock Bowers emerging as the team’s most dangerous weapon. The two players alone accounted for 282 of the 589 total targets on offense, thereby adding Cooper on the perimeter will elevate the offense that ranked 29th in PFSN’s Offense+.
Cooper may be far from his best, but he is still capable of starting games and can be an ideal WR alongside Meyers. However, with Cooper turning 31, the Raiders can also get a young receiver from the 2025 NFL Draft and build him for the future with their 4th overall pick from the 2015 draft.
Dallas Cowboys
Reunion anyone? The Cowboys’ passing game struggled last season, ranking 21st in scoring. This was largely due to a lack of reliable weapons beyond star receiver CeeDee Lamb, and Cooper might be able to help here for Dallas.
Cooper and quarterback Dak Prescott shared a productive four-year stretch, during which the receiver averaged just under 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns per season.
Thus, Dallas could benefit from adding a dynamic receiver, and Lamb recently said he wants a WR2 who can complement him. The pairing of Lamb and Cooper would be enticing and affordable for Dallas.
Buffalo Bills
Can the Bills re-sign Cooper? It’s evident that Allen didn’t target Cooper enough last season, and getting an offseason to build chemistry with him might help.
Another evident thing is that Cooper can’t be a WR1, but the Bills are comfortable with a rotating cast of role players, and signing him for five to six targets per game is probably the highest upside option for them.
The Bills had one of the NFL’s highest-scoring offenses last year, and giving Cooper another go might be their best option for overtaking the Chiefs in the AFC. They would also get him cheaper, which they do need after giving Allen a historic contract worth $330 million.