Amari Cooper has been one of the best players for the Browns over the past two seasons. He made history by being the first Cleveland wide receiver to have back-to-back seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards and set a franchise record with 265 receiving yards in a single game last December against the Texans.
However, with Cleveland’s season almost finished at 1-5, the team traded him to Buffalo, which is about 190 miles away, on Tuesday.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski mentioned in a press conference on Wednesday that losing any player, whether due to injury or a trade, is disappointing. “I wish Amari luck. Obviously, I talked to him yesterday,” he said. He also noted that while losing a player is tough, it opens up chances for other players on the team.
Cooper was the team leader with 24 catches from 53 targets. The next player, Jerry Jeudy, had 20 catches from 36 targets, which means there are now many chances for others to step up.
When asked about who might help replace Cooper’s contributions, Stefanski said, “I think it’s a bunch of guys.” He explained that since Cooper had a lot of targets, those will now go to other players in the wide receiver group, tight ends, and running backs. “We do have a lot of confidence in our guys,” he added.
One of Stefanski’s biggest challenges will be to convince the locker room that the team is still in competition, especially after Cooper’s trade and with Deshaun Watson still starting at quarterback.
However, he believes the team understands their goals. “I think our guys get that the No. 1 thing here is to win,” he said. “The truth is, you do lose guys throughout the season. Sometimes it’s due to injury, sometimes it’s due to trade — whatever it may be. And our guys have to step up when that time comes.”
