Bills HC Sean McDermott weighs in on whether WR Amari Cooper will play in Week 7

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott has given an update on whether recently acquired wide receiver Amari Cooper will play this weekend.

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It looks as though fans in attendance of the Buffalo Bills’ long-awaited homecoming this weekend will also see the debut of the team’s newest pass-catcher.

Head coach Sean McDermott told reporters on Friday that it looks as though Amari Cooper, a five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver whom the team acquired from the Cleveland Browns earlier this week, is going to suit up in Buffalo’s Week 7 matchup with the Tennessee Titans, its first game at Highmark Stadium in nearly one month.

“We’ll see,” McDermott said. “I would think so, but I want to see. I want to visit with the coaches again.”

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McDermott was mum on whether Cooper would play this weekend during his Wednesday media availability, with the receiver later describing the idea of playing five days after being traded to a new team as “uncharted territory” for him. It was never really a question amongst fans, however; a 10th-year professional who has gone for over 1,000 receiving yards in seven seasons, the idea of Cooper gaining an at least loose grasp on the playbook in five days never seemed too far-fetched.

The sideline boss told reporters that the former fourth-overall pick has been diligently working to adjust to his new offense.

“Short week, as it is, coming off the Monday night game, there,” McDermott said. “He’s done a good job. He’s a pro. Studying his plays, trying to learn the gameplan, and integrating into our offense. We’ll see how he does [Friday] again, each day moving forward, a little bit more each day.”

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One of the NFL’s most productive pass-catchers over the past decade, Cooper’s ability is not in question. That said, the challenge of any player suiting up less than a week after being traded to a new team is significant; though leaning toward trotting Cooper out on Sunday, McDermott told reporters that teams simply cannot afford to give spots on the 48-man active game day roster to players wholly unfamiliar with the playbook.

“It’s not as much what he’s showing on the field, because we feel like he’s going to help us, he’s a good player,” McDermott said. “It’s just more of his comfort level in what we’re doing and then how much he’ll be used based on what he knows. You can only dress so many guys each week, and in this case—every week, not just this case, but every week—you need people who are dressed to contribute on the field as well, whether it be offense, defense, or also special teams. If you had everybody that could be up, sure, he’s going to be in uniform, but that’s not the rules.”

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