Sean McDermott raves about new WR Amari Cooper after Bills debut

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott had high praise for wide receiver Amari Cooper after he caught a touchdown less than a week after joining the team.

Anthony Miller | Oct 21, 2024

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The Buffalo Bills’ 34-10 blowout win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 7 has left Buffalo's fans and coaching staff alike excited about what’s to come thanks to the debut of wide receiver Amari Cooper.

The recently acquired wideout rebounded after dropping a pass on the Bills' first drive, finishing the game with four receptions for 66 yards and a 12-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott gave a glowing review of Cooper's debut following the win, crediting him for ramping up quickly to make an immediate impact on the team.

“I know it’s been talked about with what Coop did, it’s good to have him here," McDermott said. "He made an impact just in four days, really four teachable, learnable days, and then to come out on day five here and execute like he did was impressive. I give him credit, the time he was able to put in with [offensive quality control coach] D.J. Mangas, both, in this case, player and coach putting in extra time to come out and execute like he did.”

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In addition to the crash course in the playbook spearheaded by Mangas, Cooper has also attributed part of his quick acclimation process to his former team. Cooper started the 2024 season with the Cleveland Browns in an offense helmed by coordinator Ken Dorsey; the former quarterback was part of Buffalo’s coaching staff for parts of five seasons and was the team’s offensive coordinator for nearly two years. There are some similar concepts and terminology between the Bills and Browns’ schemes, something that helped the 10th-year wideout hit the ground running.

The trade has seemingly rejuvenated Cooper, who posted his second-best statistical game of the season in his Bills debut. Though it's still incredibly early, he's shaping up to be an invaluable addition to Buffalo's offense; he's often listed among the NFL's best route runners, and his veteran presence is much needed in a receiving corps that has struggled in Buffalo thus far this year. His calming demeanor is big to have for a team that hasn’t had that in their star receivers in the past.

Cooper was as impactful as he could’ve been in his debut with the team, and McDermott is pleased with his performance. His play should only improve as he further familiarizes himself with the playbook.

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