Browns Slammed With Blunt Take On Amari Cooper Trade

One NFL analyst provided a rather rough take on the Cleveland Browns trading Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills.

Browns receiver Amari Cooper reacts after quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw an interception as time expired in the first half against the Buccaneers, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, in Cleveland. Browns27jl 1 / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Cleveland Browns traded wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday, a rather prompt move considering the NFL trade deadline is still a few weeks away.

The Browns landed a third-round draft pick in the deal, which is exactly solid capital considering that Cooper was likely going to walk via free agency anyway.

However, Bleacher Report's Maurice Moton is not a fan of the move for Cleveland, citing the team's unwillingness to bench Deshaun Watson in favor of Jameis Winston and the fact that the Browns' offensive line will remain shaky with or without Cooper.

"The Browns received decent draft capital for Cooper, but they created this problem with a questionable extension for Watson and unwavering faith in him to turn his season around," Moton wrote.

Moton gave the Browns a "D" grade for the trade.

But here is the thing: Cooper is 30 years old, so you can understand why Cleveland was hesitant to provide him with a long-term deal this past offseason.

The fact that Cooper leads the league in dropped passes this year is more evidence that the Browns made the right move in not extending him, although Cooper's malaise could very well be a direct result of his dissatisfaction with Cleveland's front office and/or the team's horrific offense.

That the Browns were actually able to secure a third-rounder for Cooper given the disappointing campaign he is having is actually a plus, so Moton's grade seems a bit harsh.

All things considered, there is no getting around how horrendous the 2024 season has been in Cleveland.