Bills Central

Bills $100 million wide receiver among top free agents remaining

The Buffalo Bills have one of their former players among the best free agents available in the NFL.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper makes a catch against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper makes a catch against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper was last a free agent in 2020, when he signed a five-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys.

Since then, Cooper has played for the Cowboys, Cleveland Browns and Bills, but he is a shell of his former self.

That's likely a big reason why Cooper remains unsigned weeks after the start of free agency, but he is one of the best players left unsigned, according to Bleacher Report writer Gary Davenport.

"On some level, it’s a bit surprising that wide receiver Amari Cooper is still without a team. Over a decade in the NFL, Cooper has surpassed 1,000 yards seven times. He’s been named to five Pro Bowls, including as recently as 2023," Davenport writes.

"But Cooper’s 2024 season was admittedly a mess—Cooper was traded to Buffalo during the season and never meshed with the Bills. At season’s end, Cooper had just 44 catches for 547 yards. Both were career-lows.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper (18) against the Kansas City Chiefs during the AFC Championship
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper (18) against the Kansas City Chiefs during the AFC Championship | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

"Cooper’s immediate future likely lies in a short-term “prove it” deal. But as recently as two years ago he caught 72 passes for a career-best 1,250 yards."

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With the NFL Draft coming up in a few weeks, teams will likely look towards rookies to find their upgrades at wide receiver rather than bringing in a 10-year veteran.

That being said, there should be interest in Cooper after the draft, especially for the teams that need a wideout but end up filling other positional needs instead.

Amari Cooper TD
Dec 29, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against New York Jets cornerback Brandin Echols (26) during the second half at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.