The Buffalo Bills are 4-2 this season and in firm control of the AFC East after beating the Jets on Monday night, but that 23-20 win also showed the issues that remain for the passing game, namely the lack of a consistent top target for Josh Allen.
After trading Stefon Diggs to Houston this offseason, the Bills never got a true replacement No. 1 receiver. Rookie Keon Coleman has had some flashes, but his lack of top end speed and quickness makes it difficult for him to consistently get separation. In total, three Buffalo receivers have 200 to 249 yards receiving through six games, but the lack of a guy Allen can look to in key situations has been noticeable in recent weeks.
With the Jets trading for Davante Adams after Monday’s loss, the Bills decided to make a splash of their own after escaping with the win, sending Cleveland a third round pick for star receiver Amari Cooper, per Jordan Schultz, Tom Pelissero, and Jonathan Jones. The Bills will also get a 2025 sixth round pick and send the Browns a 2027 seventh rounder, per Ian Rapoport.
Adding Cooper gives them a clear top receiver and should help their current receiving corps find more comfortable roles — Coleman, in particular, seems to operate best out of the slot and now could spend more time inside than on the perimeter. For Cooper, he moves on from trying to catch passes from the worst quarterback in the league to one of the best, and gets to compete for a contender, which he doesn’t seem too broken up about.
Amari wasn’t trying to hide it at all lol pic.twitter.com/hFS7QFs4xK
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) October 15, 2024
The Browns, meanwhile, recoup some draft capital for Cooper, who was clearly (and understandably) unhappy in his current situation watching Deshaun Watson put up horrific passing performances not seen since JaMarcus Russell was in Oakland. Cleveland is insisting on sticking with Watson, and now will go forward without their most dynamic playmaker, taking away just about any remaining hope that things will turn around there.