Training Camp has started for the Cleveland Browns, and one notable name is missing. Wide receiver Amari Cooper. Cleveland’s number one target in the passing game is holding out for a new contract, as he has just one year remaining on his current deal. While it is easy for some to blame Cooper in this situation, the reality is the fault lies entirely with the Browns here.
Who remembers when the Browns traded for and subsequently extended Jerry Jeudy? You better believe that Amari Cooper remembers. Cleveland could have made this so much easier on themselves by taking care of Cooper before doing anything with Jeudy. But instead, the Browns had their priorities out of order and found themselves in this current situation.
This would have been so much simpler if the Browns had agreed to terms on a new deal with Cooper first. There would be no holdout, and Cleveland would have their full receiving group at the start of camp, in addition to there not being any unnecessary drama. But instead, the Browns have brought this upon themselves.
The only real resolution here is going to be agreeing to a new contract with Cooper that will now cost them much more than it would have beforehand. That is just the price for not doing things in the right order. That is, of course, assuming that Cooper does not demand a trade due to this current situation. All it would take is one lowball offer for that to happen, and before anyone says that is not going to happen, do not put it past this franchise to do that. If that were to happen, it would put even more pressure on an underachieving passing game to perform without their best weapon, making it nearly impossible to win games consistently.
