Did you see Amari Cooper’s massive recreation for the Buffalo Payments on Sunday towards Seattle?
Neither did I.
Positive, the Bills stomped the Seahawks 31-10 on the road and have an unbelievable 3½-game lead within the AFC East, however enable me to critique Cooper for a second. As a result of the well-traveled star extensive receiver mentioned he was “positively prepared for an elevated function — that’s why they traded for me” after going for 4 catches, 66 yards, and a landing in his crew debut Oct. 20.
On Sunday, Cooper’s snap depend doubled — from a mere 19 to 38 — but he completed the day with a grand complete of 1 reception for 3 yards on two targets.
In a twist of irony, on that different goal, Cooper was in charge for Josh Allen’s first interception of the season. He focused Cooper on a slant route; Cooper tripped, and the ball sailed proper right into a cornerback’s fingers.
Within the Vast Receivers Arms Race of 2024, the place DeAndre Hopkins, Davante Adams, and Cooper have all modified uniforms and extra might comply with earlier than the Nov. 5 commerce deadline, your mileage could fluctuate on which guys will really star for his or her new groups. (I warned that chasing Adams can be a idiot’s errand for the awful New York Jets earlier this month.)
However any teasing apart, I’m not saying that the Bills’ deal for Cooper was a poor concept. The truth is, he was a cut price: the Payments solely inherited $806,667 of remaining wage on Cooper’s expiring contract, in accordance with Spotrac. Buffalo goes to come back out a giant winner, even when Cooper himself doesn’t have thrilling stat traces that assist him get his subsequent contract.
Right here’s what Cooper actually did to assist the Payments on Sunday: He opened up the sphere for his teammates.
The specter of Cooper as a top-tier NFL receiver pulled some defenders’ consideration away from Khalil Shakir and rookie Keon Coleman, who had profession highs of 9 and 5 catches, respectively.
Shakir, a brief and speedy weapon I’ve all the time favored, racked up 107 yards and is already approaching career-high totals throughout the board midway via his third NFL season. Coleman, the thirty third decide in April’s draft, adopted a 125-yard recreation final week towards Tennessee with 70 yards and a rating at Seattle. They’ve the crew’s solely two 100-yard receiving performances of the 12 months so far.
Allen most likely doesn’t get sufficient credit score for elevating the extent of his pass-catchers, however after Buffalo traded away Stefon Diggs, the crew’s receiver corps was fairly nameless. Give opposing defenses only one other thing to consider, and it springs guys like Shakir, Coleman, and the tight ends.
“Because the season goes on everybody begins to know what their function is. That’s part of the sport,” Shakir mentioned. “… However I all the time say this: At any level in that receiver room, anyone’s quantity can get known as on any given play and make a play. Our room is so dynamic, and I actually imagine it’s among the best within the NFL.”
The place does that go away Cooper, whose fantasy soccer managers aren’t almost as completely happy because the Payments’ entrance workplace right this moment?
Although he’s gone from taking part in with Deshaun Watson to Allen, I personally wouldn’t wager on Cooper having the sort of explosive video games he had after the Raiders traded him to the Cowboys throughout the 2018 season. First, he must play greater than 50 p.c of the offense’s snaps, which, in equity, could also be across the nook. However he’s a man who has had hot-and-cold seasons prior to now.
Cooper, 30, can be a free agent in 2025. As he thinks towards the longer term and wonders who his subsequent crew can be, after all it is sensible that he’d agitate for an even bigger function within the Buffalo offense — he’s attempting to safe yet one more bag. The Payments don’t essentially want to provide that function to him.
So whereas the Payments are predestined for an additional playoff berth, I’m to see how the offense appears to be like from week to week on their means there, and if Cooper “understands what his function is,” outgrows it, or begins to precise dissatisfaction.
