The Kansas City Chiefs were waiting for updates on Rashee Rice’s potential absence for the rest of the 2024 season before deciding their next steps regarding a wide receiver. With confirmation that Rice will indeed miss the season, the Chiefs are increasingly likely to pursue a veteran trade.
Fortunately, there are struggling teams that could be looking to sell at the trade deadline, such as the 1-4 Cleveland Browns. On October 9, A-to-Z Sports reporters Charles Goldman (covering the Chiefs) and Brandon Little (covering the Browns) proposed a hypothetical trade: the Chiefs would acquire wide receiver Amari Cooper, while the Browns would receive a third-round pick in 2025 (from the Tennessee Titans).
This isn’t the first time the former first-round pick from the Las Vegas Raiders has been mentioned as a trade option for the Chiefs. After signing a five-year, $100 million contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020, Cooper was traded to the Browns in 2022. He is now in the final year of that extension, carrying an $8.744 million cap hit in 2024 and a cap hit exceeding $22.5 million in 2025 (which is a void year). Most of that financial burden would fall on the Browns, as noted by Spotrac co-founder Michael Ginnitti.
Statistically, Cooper’s performance has declined in 2024, attributed in part to poor quarterback play for the Browns. In five games, the 30-year-old has recorded 20 receptions for 208 yards and 2 touchdowns, averaging 41.6 yards per game.
Goldman explained the trade from the Chiefs’ perspective, stating that General Manager Brett Veach would likely seize the chance to acquire a player who could bolster their offense, especially after losing key players expected to lead the team in receptions and yards this season. He highlighted the necessity for Kansas City to add high-caliber talent while also enhancing depth due to injury issues.
Goldman described the move as financially advantageous for the Chiefs, noting that acquiring Cooper would cost them just over $941,000 because his 2024 salary was converted into a signing bonus. He pointed out that Cooper was traded for a fifth and a sixth-round pick in 2022, suggesting that, given Cooper’s previous back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons despite a struggling quarterback situation in Cleveland, the price may be slightly higher now. Consequently, Goldman concluded that he would be willing to offer a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, although he acknowledged that the Browns might prefer Tennessee’s third-round pick, which the Chiefs own, given that they would cover most of Cooper’s contract.
From the Browns’ standpoint, Little articulated the rationale behind considering a trade for Cooper. He noted that Cleveland’s 1-4 record, coupled with a challenging upcoming schedule, suggests that it might be time to consider moving on from Cooper, especially as he seems disengaged in Cleveland and has a contract that could lead him to free agency next March.
If the Browns are facing a lost season, they need to evaluate other wide receivers, potentially giving Jerry Jeudy a larger role and better assessing Cedric Tillman and Jamari Thrash. Little emphasized the importance of acquiring draft capital for Cleveland as they gear up for another rebuild in 2025.