What the acquisition of WR Amari Cooper means for Bills' receiving corps

Amari Cooper's presence vastly betters the fortunes of the Buffalo Bills' receiving corps for a myriad of reasons.

Kyle Silagyi | 14 Hours Ago

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

In this story:

Buffalo Bills | News, Scores, Schedules & Standings

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane seemingly heard the chatter about his team needing additional help in the receiving corps, as he pulled off a blockbuster by acquiring five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper on Tuesday afternoon.

The impact he’ll personally have on Buffalo’s passing game is obvious; he’ll again give quarterback Josh Allen an alpha option whom he can trust in pivotal moments. A former fourth-overall pick who has topped 1,000 yards in all but two of his nine previous professional seasons, Cooper has long been one of the NFL’s most productive wideouts. The only reason why he’s not mentioned more in elite wide receiver conversations is that he’s been performing at that level for nearly a decade.

And while his individual play will certainly aid Buffalo’s on-field fortunes, his presence will have an equally beneficial impact on the team’s general passing attack. The Bills fundamentally altered their offensive philosophy in the 2024 offseason, adopting an ‘everyone eats’ approach after trading perennial Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans; the new ideology saw the construction of a receiving corps made up of talented, but unproven pass-catchers to which Allen could evenly disperse the ball. The plan was foolproof, in theory, but underwhelming in execution, particularly over the past handful of games as Buffalo’s offense has hit a lull; the team’s wide receivers combined for just nine receptions in their Week 6 win over the New York Jets, this after totaling just four catches on 18 targets in a Week 5 loss.

Cooper not only bolsters the position group by giving it a player demonstrably capable of producing at an elite level, but he also pushes every previously rostered player slightly down on the depth chart, placing them in more advantageous positions to succeed. No fan or pundit questioned the talent present within the Bills’ receiving corps prior to the Cooper acquisition; they largely questioned whether they were overtasked and if they were being asked to do too much.

Keon Coleman has shown flashes of brilliance over his first six games, but given the still raw and developing nature of his game, should he be leading the position group in snaps? Mack Hollins is a player who can thrive in niche offensive roles and on special teams, but should he be a primary element of a passing attack? Khalil Shakir is a markedly reliable wideout who accomplishes whatever the offense asks of him, but would he benefit from being a complementary piece as opposed to a focal point?

Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Acquiring Cooper, a wideout with a bevy of experience who is well-accustomed to receiving over 100 targets per season, allows Buffalo’s receiving corps to not only lean on him, but get more out of its pre-existing options by asking less of them. Coleman can now take a step back and adjust to the professional level at his own pace as opposed to being proverbially baptized by fire. Hollins no longer has to play on a snap count that’s adverse to his impact. Shakir is no longer the only wide receiver who Allen can unequivocally trust on third downs and in crucial spots.

It’s an opportunity for the wide receiver room to take a deep breath and re-center around an alpha option, allowing pass-catchers to grow more comfortable and, in theory, thrive in less burdensome roles. Cooper’s acquisition significantly raises the floor of the offense not only because of his individual impact, but because of the auspicious spots he moves his new teammates into.

The team’s younger wideouts, namely Shakir and Coleman, now have the opportunity to glean on-and-off-field elements from Cooper, and he doesn’t serve as a long-term roadblock on the depth chart given the fact that his contract is due to expire at the conclusion of the 2024 campaign. His acquisition will pay immediate dividends in a vacuum, but the on-and-off-field ramifications he’ll have on the larger receiving corps will be felt both now and in the future.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Bills from Buffalo Bills on SI —