Bills’ Amari Cooper Trade Shakes AFC East: How Buffalo’s New Weapon Can Turn the Playoff Tide

Govind Tekale Govind Tekale

A defining moment happened in the AFC East: the Cleveland Browns have traded Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills in a surprising move.

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[{"selector":"#anim-cbd19406-57cf-4ed4-a0ba-e5e644e0abbd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-349955be-5f28-40a1-bbe9-cc41c348b769","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 260.10107%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cd5cf9a7-e539-4dc1-b37d-c91bb373cb33","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ca42e0dc-5401-4c5f-b845-8e113bbaf080","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aa9663a7-7478-423c-9f96-2842fe1cfef2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.13749%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Several sources confirmed this significant trade on Tuesday, which could reshape the division's competitive landscape. Photo Source: @ amaricooper9 (Instagram) Photo Source: @ amaricooper9 (Instagram)

Contrary to the initial statement, it's the Cleveland Browns who are having a disappointing season, currently at 1-5, not the Buffalo Bills.

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[{"selector":"#anim-d06103b0-91ed-4b53-ac33-9f8da7d4560e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eba4b707-2d86-43d5-99f8-8a44c14560b1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.13749%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-12662360-69d4-4cdf-a373-150e9c34a58e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e1377008-59e8-42a1-85aa-531720fbee55","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8133d832-86f0-458a-86d0-68a9edd53b85","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 260.10107%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Amidst these circumstances, the Browns decided to trade Amari Cooper, not Buffalo. Photo Source: @ amaricooper9 (Instagram) Photo Source: @ amaricooper9 (Instagram)

The $230 million guaranteed star Deshaun Watson has failed to live up to expectations for the Browns, contributing to their poor start.

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[{"selector":"#anim-b29e828b-2697-47bf-afee-684e7267ef77","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-942e37ed-b46d-4586-8df5-7493c31d9b5a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.13749%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0be28fa7-9bb8-4478-86c2-60007b0eaf1b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6624cb10-fad7-4f8b-872d-dfbb614988c0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bccb3816-6d55-4914-bd36-d14bfbf3cedc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 260.10107%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Cooper signed with the Cleveland Browns in March 2022 after being traded from the Dallas Cowboys. Photo Source: @ amaricooper9 (Instagram) Photo Source: @ amaricooper9 (Instagram)

Cooper's stats for the 2023 season so far are 24 receptions for 250 yards and two touchdowns through six games, which are indeed modest numbers for a player of his caliber.

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[{"selector":"#anim-59d179b9-270e-49a0-bddb-5d57092c565d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b9f26ba8-a78f-4aff-ac8a-f6edff270454","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.13749%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8fa5326d-eeac-4c6e-a101-5772a45b8fda","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-da2de654-1733-4682-b591-bd3b4b57d7e4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-21862fa5-ae2b-4b93-8813-c7f6fcce9639","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 260.10107%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The Buffalo Bills are currently at the top of the table in the AFC East with a 4-2 record, leading their division. Photo Source: Google Photo Source: Google

This trade fills a glaring need for the Bills at the wide receiver position, especially after they traded away Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans before the season.

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[{"selector":"#anim-247e1d64-dfca-4769-b374-30f572df4509","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0e11d023-80e2-4cca-92ee-1321897624fa","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.13749%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2129154a-68ad-4436-9dde-78dac0548a05","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-49c7bfca-3021-4ea6-9420-e5b7f84e69ad","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6b85ba5f-b40a-4b41-bd90-5f2960eaf294","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 260.10107%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The trade package includes Cooper and a 2025 sixth-round draft pick going to Buffalo in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 seventh-rounder from the Browns. Photo Source: @ amaricooper9 (Instagram) Photo Source: @ amaricooper9 (Instagram)

This trade also raises questions about the long-term sustainability of the Bills' roster-building strategy, as they're giving up future draft capital for immediate impact.

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