Amari Cooper traded to Bills in huge midseason deal with Browns

The Cleveland Browns are trading wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Bills, Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein confirmed Tuesday. The Bills later announced the trade, in which they will receive Cooper and a 2025 sixth-round draft pick, while Cleveland gets a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 seventh-rounder in return.

The trade comes less than 24 hours after Buffalo defeated the New York Jets 23-20 on Monday night.

To make room for Cooper, the Bills opted to release receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

With the trade, Cooper will get a chance to play on a far more competitive team, while giving Bills quarterback Josh Allen another receiving weapon. Buffalo’s leading receiver this season is Khalil Shakir, with 249 yards and two touchdowns, followed by rookie Keon Coleman (201 yards, two TDs).

The Browns are currently 1-5 and the season already appears lost with Deshaun Watson as Cleveland’s starting quarterback. The Bills, meanwhile, are 4-2 and sit atop of the AFC East. Cleveland, meanwhile, is seemingly focusing on obtaining future talent for the moment.

Cooper has 24 receptions, 250 yards and two touchdowns in six games this season.

This marks the third career trade for Cooper. The five-time Pro Bowl receiver started his career with the Raiders as the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2015 before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys midseason in 2018. In 2022, he was traded to the Browns during the offseason, and spent the past two seasons in Cleveland.