Latest Rumor About Amari Cooper Should Concern the Cleveland Browns

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The Cleveland Browns find themselves in a precarious situation when it comes to star wide receiver Amari Cooper.
With NFL training camp set to begin, Cooper and the Browns have yet to resolve their contract situation. Now, they face the possibility that their star wideout will begin a holdout.
According to a new viral rumor that has been spreading, Cooper could hold out to begin training camp. There is no guarantee that he will, but it is a storyline that has been circulating.
On the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show, they talked about being intereseted to see how deep Cooper ends up taking his holdout.
#Browns WR Amari Cooper still doesn't have a new deal. @1Tyvis says he can understand where Amari is coming from and is interested in seeing how deep Amari takes this holdout#DawgPound | https://t.co/2L8kNA4a2G pic.twitter.com/vmbf0ykn9R
— Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show (@ultCLEsports) July 16, 2024
In recent years, training camp holdouts have become a very common occurrence. Usually, the team and player are able to work something out before the regular season begins.
Cooper has every right to hold out if he chooses to do so. He has been one of the best and most productive wide receivers in the game and deserves to be paid like it.
During the 2023 season with Cleveland, Cooper ended up catching 72 passes for 1,250 yards and five touchdowns. He recorded those numbers despite a less-than-ideal situation at quarterback.
Clearly, he is a massive part of what the Browns are trying to do offensively.
Wild rumors have started coming out. One of them would have Cooper being shipped back to the Dallas Cowboys in a trade.
While it's extremely unlikely that Cleveland is going to trade Cooper, that is how deep the rumors and speculation are beginning to run.
Ideally, the two sides will be able to come together on a new deal in the next week or two. Resolving the issue and keeping Cooper in town should be the top priority.
The 30-year-old wide receiver is one of the best in the NFL. Losing him would be a massive blow to the Browns' offense. They simply cannot afford to let that happen.
Expect to hear more rumors and reports come out about the situation in the coming days. Cleveland and Cooper are getting dangerously close to a potential training camp holdout and avoiding that would be the best possible scenario for both parties.

Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst who covers college football, the NFL and NBA. He has contributed to the On SI network since July 2021. He has also written for ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, NFLAnalysis.net, NBAAnalysis.net and many other publications. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son.