Aiming to arm quarterback Baker Mayfield with more weapons this offseason, the Cleveland Browns have finalized a trade that would land them veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper.
The Browns would send 2022 fifth- and sixth-round picks to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for Cooper and a sixth-round pick of Dallas’, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports.
The person spoke on condition of the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment because it can’t become official until the start of the league year on Tuesday.
Cooper would pair with Jarvis Landry to give the Browns another pair of 1,000-yard receivers just months after Cleveland broke up the duo of Landry and the unhappy Odell Beckham Jr.
However, there’s a degree of uncertainty regarding Landry’s status. He’s set to count $16.3 million against the cap, and the Browns would like to retain his services. However, Landry’s representatives have also received permission to explore trade possibilities while talks with the Browns on potential contract restructuring simultaneously take place, a person with knowledge of the situation explained.
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Cooper, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, but Dallas didn’t want to carry his salary of $20 million guaranteed for the coming year.
Cowboys executive Stephen Jones was noncommittal last Monday at the NFL scouting combine when asked about Cooper’s future with the team.
“We’re continuing to have conversations,” Jones said. “A lot of things affect that. … There are some moving parts to that that we’ll have to continue to massage as we move forward.”
Multiple teams had interest in Cooper, but Cleveland ultimately got the deal done.
There’s hope that the two sides can negotiate a more cap-friendly contract.
