As he seeks a new contract while entering the final year of his deal, Cleveland Browns WR Amari Cooper is not at the team’s mandatory minicamp. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported the news.
#Browns WR Amari Cooper, who is entering the final year of his contract, is not present for mandatory minicamp and is subject to fines.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 11, 2024
Cooper is coming off a season where he had 72 receptions for 1,250 yards and 12 touchdowns while playing with multiple quarterbacks, including Deshaun Watson, P.J. Walker, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Joe Flacco. It was the second-straight 1,000-yard season for Cooper, as he had 1,160 yards and nine touchdowns in his first season with the Browns in 2022.
Cleveland traded for WR Jerry Jeudy from the Denver Broncos this offseason and then gave him a three-year, $52.5 million deal. Seeing Jeudy get a new deal likely adds to Cooper’s motivation, as Cooper’s been a better receiver over the past two seasons, and he’s done it in Cleveland.
Since Cooper is under contract, he’s subject to fines for skipping mandatory minicamp. He becomes the second AFC North receiver to reportedly skip mandatory minicamp, with WR Tee Higgins not present at minicamp for the Browns. Unlike Cooper though, Higgins is not subject for fines as he has yet to sign his franchise tender.
We’ll see how this Cooper situation impacts the Browns, and whether it could lead to complications with the team down the line. The Browns have Watson coming back from shoulder surgery, and after a playoff appearance last season, they’re looking to return to the postseason. If Cooper decides he wants out or becomes a problem, that could impact their quest to return to the postseason.
The 10-year veteran has 667 receptions for 9,486 yards and 60 touchdowns in his career. Prior to his stint with the Browns, Cooper played for the Dallas Cowboys and the then-Oakland Raiders, the team that selected him fourth overall in the 2015 NFL Draft.
