Amari Cooper’s prime may be in the rearview, but his NFL journey isn’t over yet. The five-time Pro Bowl wideout is back on the free agent market and looking for a fresh start after a rough 2024 season.
With veteran WR depth still a need for several teams, the Raiders, Patriots, and Cowboys are being floated as possible landing spots for the former first-round pick.
Can Free Agent WR Amari Cooper Bounce Back?
The five-time Pro Bowler got out of Cleveland and into an electric Buffalo Bills offense led by Josh Allen last year. Unfortunately for Cooper, it only resulted in 20 catches for 297 yards and two touchdowns in eight games. Expectations were high, but the production just wasn’t there.
One could argue he was adjusting to a new system, which might explain Keon Coleman’s assist on Cooper’s first Bills touchdown. But he also had just 53 catches for 250 yards and two touchdowns in six games with Cleveland, so clearly something was off.
Cooper battled injuries in 2024, and age won’t help. Entering his age-31 season, Cooper will need to fight to stay relevant in a receiver room. While older receivers can still contribute, history shows it’s tougher to carve out a major role past 30.
With free agency cooling down, PFSN has Cooper ranked as the 30th best free agent available. “Cooper will draw interest from some teams, but he’s going to have to take a reduction in both pay and role. His struggles with the Bills will likely result in underwhelming contract offers. That means there’s not a ton of risk in rolling the dice in the short term, but there also may not be the upside that is often attached to this name.”
Maybe some of those teams will feel familiar to him.
Could Cooper Benefit Raiders, Patriots — or Return to Dallas?
While Cooper’s downturn will affect his contract and playing time, some offenses could benefit from his locker room presence.
The New England Patriots waited to make a splash at receiver to help second-year QB Drake Maye’s passing attack. Stefon Diggs signed a four-year, $69 million deal, giving the Patriots a veteran leader in a young WR group. With Diggs coming off his first season without 1,000 yards since 2017 due to a torn ACL, maybe new head coach Mike Vrabel wants to add a second vet for his young quarterback.
The Raiders’ top receiver in both touchdowns and yards last season was rookie tight end Brock Bowers. Jakobi Meyers was the only wideout to top 1,000 yards, with the WR room losing veteran Davante Adams in a trade with the New York Jets. Tre Tucker showed flashes and is expected to step up alongside Meyers, with Pete Carroll now on the headset. Still, maybe a reunion with the team that drafted Cooper in 2015 gives the Raiders the veteran presence they’ve missed since Davante left.
Speaking of reunions, Dallas could also bring back Cooper to pair him again with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. Cooper spent three and a half years in Jerry World, playing opposite Lamb and boosting both their target shares.
The Cowboys’ only clear No. 2 options now are Jalen Tolbert and Jonathan Mingo, who was traded from the Panthers last season. Bringing Cooper back could benefit him, Lamb and the young receivers in that locker room.
Whether it’s as a vet in New England or a reunion in Vegas or Dallas, Cooper will need to be a different version of himself than in his prime. But he’ll look to prove—wherever he lands—that he can still be an asset to a team looking to compete in 2025.