The Cowboys electing to move on from Amari Cooper wasn’t exactly a shock, given the way his contract was structured when he agreed to the deal in March 2020.
So the Browns traded for Cooper in mid-March, sending a fifth-round pick to Dallas in exchange for the receiver.
With players in Dallas saying this week that the team isn’t better without Cooper, the receiver said in a Wednesday press conference with his new team that he didn’t necessarily want to leave the Cowboys.
“It’s not like I disliked being in Dallas — I actually loved being there,” Cooper said. “I wouldn’t say I just wanted to leave. But at the same time, it’s never personal, it’s just business and that’s part of the business of being in this league. Things like that happen all the time. Players get cut, players get traded. There’s no player in the league that’s still in the league from 30 years ago. So it all comes to an end at some point.
“With that said, I am excited about this new chapter and I embrace it. I look forward to the future here.”
The team is excited about having him, too, as head coach Kevin Stefanski said earlier on Wednesday that he’s been impressed with what he’s seen from Cooper so far. Stefanski has also said since the trade that the Browns are going to rely on Cooper in key-passing situations.
Cooper caught 68 passes for 865 yards with eight touchdowns in 2021. But the receiver has eclipsed 1,000 yards in five of his seven career seasons.