The O.G. Amari Cooper Ready To Lead The 2024 Browns

After Thursday's first training camp practice, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski spoke about how important Amari Cooper is to the Cleveland Browns and how all the wide receivers look up to the "OG".

Nov 5, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper (2) celebrates after scoring during the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

On Tuesday, Amari Cooper and the Cleveland Browns solved the pending contract holdout and No. 2 was immediately back on the practice field, ready to roll for training camp.

Cooper has been a force to be reckoned with since becoming a Cleveland Brown in 2022. In his two years in Cleveland, he has put up some pretty remarkable numbers and set two different career highs. Cooper's nine touchdowns in 2022 was a career best and in 2023 he set a career mark with 1,250 yards.

The former fourth-overall pick has been as good as advertised in each stop of his career. He eclipsed 1,000 yards in five of his first six NFL seasons in both Oakland and Dallas. He quickly established himself as a premier route runner in all of the NFL and his unique combination of size, strength and speed made him nearly impossible to cover.

Dec 17, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper (2) runs the ball along the sideline for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

After signing a massive contract and his production slipping in 2021, Cooper was shipped to Cleveland in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick. With the quarterback situation in flux, Cooper came to town with more questions than answers, but it didn't matter. He immediately started making an impact on a Browns team that sorely needed leadership.

After setting his career touchdown record, playing the majority of the season with Jacoby Brissett, Cooper stared down a 2023 season that he was anticipating being primarily with Deshaun Watson. Instead of the majority of the year being with his starting quarterback, he would end up catching passes from four different quarterbacks. He didn't just get through the year, he ended up setting his career best in yards at 1,250. He became the first Cleveland receiver to have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and he set the Browns single-game receiving record with his 11 catch, 265 yard explosion against Houston.

Heading into 2024, the expectations are higher than they have ever been in Cleveland. On Thursday, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was asked point-blank about what Cooper means to this team and his response was pretty telling.

He said, "Amari's the 'OG' when it comes to wide receivers. They all look up to him, they all respect him and when he speaks everyone listens."

2024 has the potential to be another great season for Cooper and another great year for the Browns. Maybe it is Cooper's last in the Orange and Brown or maybe it isn't. Regardless, whatever locker he walks into, Cooper is the OG and one of the best players in the entire NFL.