The Cleveland Browns' trade of wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills has officially closed, with all draft picks now used. Let's break down what the Browns ultimately got for their star receiver and how the deal played out.
Leading up to the 2024 NFL trade deadline, the Browns had lost confidence in Cooper. They shipped the aging wideout to Buffalo for a Day 2 draft pick. While Cooper didn't light it up with the Bills, he still showed flashes of his old talent. After his contract expired in Buffalo, Cooper signed with the Las Vegas Raiders and retired from the NFL in 2025.
Here's the full breakdown of the trade: The Browns received a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 seventh-round pick. The Bills got Amari Cooper and a 2025 sixth-round pick.
The Browns' third-round pick settled at 94th overall in the 2025 draft. Cleveland used it to select Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, a potential franchise signal-caller. But Gabriel's future is now uncertain in a crowded quarterback room under a new head coach.
That 2026 seventh-round pick (242nd overall) didn't stay in Cleveland long. The Browns traded it to the New York Jets in August 2025, along with defensive tackle Jowon Briggs, for pick 182. Then, in October, Cleveland sent pick 182 and cornerback Greg Newsome to the Jacksonville Jaguars for cornerback Tyson Campbell and pick 239. The pick eventually landed with the Seattle Seahawks, who used it on defensive tackle Deven Eastern.
As for Cooper's time in Buffalo? He played just eight regular-season games, catching 20 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns. In three playoff games, he added six catches for just 41 yards. Not exactly the impact the Bills hoped for when they traded a Day 2 pick.
Meanwhile, the sixth-round pick Buffalo received in the deal didn't stay with the Bills either. They flipped it as part of a trade that sent cornerback Kaiir Elam to the Dallas Cowboys, moving up to pick 170 in the fifth round. They selected cornerback Jordan Hancock with that pick.
Despite the Browns' messy quarterback situation and pick shuffling, this trade looks like a clear win for Cleveland. The Bills gave up a premium Day 2 pick for a receiver who failed to make a difference in their playoff push. It's not a runaway victory, but the Browns came out ahead in this one.