Amari Cooper Breaks Silence On Bills Trade

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper addressed reporters Wednesday (October 16) for the first time since being acquired by the team one day prior.

Cooper was acquired by the Bills in a trade with the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday (October 15) and said he was excited about the expectations of joining a new team as he made the less than three-hour drive up I-90 East

"It kind of felt like a long drive to my first day of school," Cooper said via ESPN 's Alaina Getzenberg .

Cooper, 30, joins his third NFL team in the last four seasons, having been acquired by the Browns in 2022 as part of an offseason trade with the Dallas Cowboys. The former University of Alabama standout was selected by the then-Oakland Raiders at No. 4 overall in the 2015 NFL Draft and has been selected as a Pro Bowler five times, at least once with all three franchise, including last season.

Cooper has, however, seen his production dip in 2024, having been limited to 24 receptions for 250 yards and two touchdowns through his first six games amid Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson 's struggles.

"Yeah, it does. It does 100% for several reasons actually," Cooper said when asked if the mid-season trade reinvigorated him via ESPN . "It's just that feeling of having a fresh beginning, a new start, a blank canvas that you get to control your destiny, you know?"

The five-time Pro Bowler will provide the Bills offense and quarterback Josh Allen with a much-needed primary wide receiver option following the departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis this past offseason. Third-year wide receiver Khalil Shakir is currently leading all Bills players with 20 receptions for 249 yards and two touchdowns.

Buffalo is currently first in the AFC East standings at 4-2 following its Monday Night Football road win against the division rival New York Jets.