Browns Trade Cooper, Push Pittsburgh Toward Playoffs

Part of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ path to the playoffs is by banking wins early in the season. So far, so good. The Steelers are 4-2 after a fairly uncompetitive 32-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders and have two winnable home games – against the New York Jets and New York Giants – ahead of the bye week.

The second half of the schedule, though, is among the most difficult in the sport.

Pittsburgh will emerge from its bye week to play the Washington Commanders, led by rookie phenom quarterback Jayden Daniels and an offense that’s setting the league ablaze. The final eight weeks of the season see the Steelers play all six divisional games, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Pittsburgh will need to catch every break possible to come out of that stretch alive.

Thus, Steelers fans were celebrating when breaking news emerged on Tuesday. The Cleveland Browns have traded receiver Amari Cooper and a sixth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills for a 2025 third-round pick and a seventh-rounder next year.

While it might come back to bite the Steelers in a scenario in which they visit Buffalo in January, this move should be seen as resoundingly good news.

Cleveland is now publicly giving up on its playoff hopes. Cooper was easily the team’s best receiver, having logged 250 yards and two scores in the early going. Now, a rudderless offense led by arguably the league’s worst starter is down a star player. The Browns, at 1-5, are on the verge of spiraling into further dysfunction as Deshaun Watson drags down a fairly talented roster.

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While Washington is a much more formidable opponent than Pittsburgh anticipated coming into the year, two games against a bad Browns team could provide more than enough relief to compensate.

Of course, no game is a guarantee. But if the Steelers simply take care of business against a team they look much better than, they can stay afloat in a crowded AFC playoff picture. Trading Cooper – and the ramifications of that deal – help bring Pittsburgh one step closer to the playoffs.