ESPN insider weighs in on whether Bills will extend WR Amari Cooper

ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler recently weighed in on whether he expects the Buffalo Bills to re-sign recently acquired wide receiver Amari Cooper.

Nico Salimbene | Nov 13, 2024

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Though he's only played two full games with the Buffalo Bills, wide receiver Amari Cooper's presence has been felt on the gridiron. Cooper, whom the Bills acquired from the Cleveland Browns last month, has a skillset and résumé that demand opposing defenses account for him at all times. This was on full display in his Week 7 debut against the Tennessee Titans; while Cooper had a modest stat line of four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown, Buffalo's other receivers benefited from him being schemed against defensively. Rookie receiver Keon Coleman led the room with four catches for 125 yards while Khalil Shakir added seven grabs for 65 yards.

Though a wrist injury has prevented Cooper from fully acclimating himself to his new offense and fanbase, he’s unequivocally one of the league’s more consistently productive receivers, and it’s natural to wonder if the seven-time 1,000-yard pass-catcher is a long-term piece in Orchard Park. His contract is set to expire at the end of the 2024 season, and the 30-year-old will undoubtedly be a highly-coveted asset should he hit the open market. ESPN recently ranked Cooper as the NFL’s sixth-best pending free agent, with insider Jeremy Fowler weighing in on whether he expects Buffalo to re-sign the veteran.

"As is the case with most newly acquired players via trade, Cooper and the Bills need to see how the relationship develops on the field before making major decisions about the future," Fowler wrote. "Cooper has the high-end offense -- and quarterback -- to catalyze his market for March. Buffalo is one of the more proactive teams in extending key players, so it wouldn't surprise to see the Bills make a contract offer if Cooper is thriving."

This makes sense for both parties, as Cooper hasn't seen much action with his new team just yet. He now has the best quarterback situation of his career, with superstar signal caller Josh Allen throwing passes his way, so it may be more lucrative for the receiver to wait until he has results on the field before signing any deals.

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Cooper has the opportunity to make his first significant splash since joining the Bills this weekend, as per head coach Sean McDermott, he has a chance to play Week 11 in a highly anticipated matchup at home against the Kansas City Chiefs. This would be the star receiver's first real chance to show off his talents, as he was used sparingly against the Titans due to arriving with the Bills just days prior, and was injured during the team's Week 8 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Should Cooper play in Week 11, he'll likely be heavily involved in the offensive game plan, especially with rookie Keon Coleman already ruled out for the matchup.

Even though he'll be turning 31 ahead of the 2025 season, it should be expected that Cooper will ink another multi-year deal in his career, whether it's with the Bills or another club. This would be the long-time wideout's first chance at becoming a free agent; after starting his career with the Raiders, he was traded to Dallas, then dealt again to Cleveland.

Buffalo is set to enter a crucial four game stretch in which they match up against the Chiefs, the 49ers, the Rams, and then the Lions. If Cooper wants to see another $20 million per year deal, it starts with his impact in the toughest stretch of the Bills' season.

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