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The Browns Offense Needs The Ball In This Players Hands

Wide receiver Amari Cooper had an uncharacteristic showing last game but will be counted on down the stretch.

Veteran Wide Receiver Amari Cooper Needs Consistent Targets Regardless of Quarterback

 

The Cleveland Browns suffered their second loss to another division rival on Sunday 28-3, and had season lows in a variety of offensive categories including for wide receiver Amari Cooper. Wide receiver Amari Cooper saw season lows in receptions, targets, yards, and longest reception. Partly due to a new quarterback with rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson getting the start, but also due to a bigger issue. The Browns went down 21-3 at halftime and failed to score the rest of the game. In a game script that favored the past, there is concern for Cooper having as little production as he did. Cooper’s production should see an uptick after the bye week, as he is the veteran of a young wide receiver room.

 

Wide Receiver Amari Cooper Does It Cooler

 

Wide receiver Amari Cooper finished his final year at Alabama in 2014 with 124 receptions for 1,727 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. This led to him being the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the then-Oakland Raiders. He spent a little more than three seasons in Oakland where he had a total of 225 receptions for 3,183 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns. Six games into his fourth season he saw a move that landed him in Dallas. He picked up right where he left off, playing nearly four years with the Cowboys and the production staying consistent. He helped power the Cowboys’ offense posting 292 receptions for 3,893 receiving yards and 27 touchdowns during his tenure. Cooper has had six seasons in which he finished between 1,005 and 1,189 yards, and in his first season with Cleveland, he posted his second-highest total.

 

 

With a mixture of Jacoby Brissett and Deshaun Watson under center,  Cooper finished with 78 catches for 1,160 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Even with only three catches in the opener and just one in his previous matchup, he leads the team with 18 receptions for 259 yards and one touchdown. Not only is he the oldest in a young wide receiver room, but nobody comes close to his accolades and his consistency. Looking at the other receiving options shows why he needs the ball as much as possible.

 

The Young Wideouts

 

The rest of the wide receiver room features fourth-year Donovan People-Jones,  third-year Elijah Moore, second-year David Bell, and rookie Cedric Tillman. People-Jones is the second-longest tenured receiver, who had his best season as the Browns wide receiver two last year. He posted 61 catches, 839 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Moore is currently looking like the new wide receiver two, the 23-year-old has 29 targets, 17 catches, and 148 yards. Tight end David Njoku is third on the team in targets, receptions, and yards. Bell and Tillman are both very young and have seen limited snaps thus far.

The duo has a combined seven targets and four catches through the first four games. This shows the importance of Cooper. In the most recent win against the Tennessee Titans Cooper had an outstanding game with seven catches, 116 yards, and a touchdown. Not to mention a missed call negating an extra 40 yards and a touchdown. 

 

 

With some big tests but also favorable matchups coming up for Cooper, it is essential he returns to form and takes charge of the wide receiver room for the Browns.

Main Photo: [Akron Beacon] – USA Today Sports

Carson Hutton

Carson Hutton

Carson recently graduated from The Ohio State University in May with a Journalism and Business degree. Living in Columbus, Ohio, he is a big fan of Ohio State, the Cleveland professional sports teams, and soccer.

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