Veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper remains available in free agency. The five-time Pro Bowler was traded from the Cleveland Browns to the Buffalo Bills last season. In total, Cooper recorded 44 receptions for 547 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
The Bills declined interest in re-signing Cooper. The 30-year-old boundary playmaker is still capable of making a positive impact on an offense in 2025. Cooper's market should start heating up as training camp approaches.
Cooper is simply waiting for the right opportunity to reveal itself. He's a starting-caliber pass-catcher. With OTAs occurring around the league, we've identified potential landing spots via three ideal suitors.
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk continues to recover from a torn ACL and MCL injury suffered in October. Aiyuk is unlikely to be at 100% health during training camp and the preseason. The 49ers need to consider his timeline, understanding he may be on a limited snap count to begin the season.
Elsewhere, veteran addition DeMarcus Robinson is also dealing with availability questions this offseason. That leaves Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings at the top of the 49ers' depth chart for now. There's going to be more pressure on quarterback Brock Purdy's shoulders after he signed a five-year contract extension worth $265 million ($53 million annually). The 49ers should load up on pass-catchers. Cooper would represent a quality addition.
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints should be rebuilding. Following Derek Carr's unexpected retirement, they're holding an uninspiring quarterback competition this summer between rookie Tyler Shough, sophomore Spencer Rattler, and third-year QB Jake Haener. However, new head coach Kellen Moore and Cooper have a direct and lengthy connection that makes a reunion possible.
Moore was Cooper's offensive coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys for three seasons (2019-21). Throughout that stretch, he recorded consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns. If Shough wins the starting job as expected, the Saints are invested in his development as the No. 40 overall pick. Cooper would add veteran experience and production to the offense. His ability to seamlessly fit into Moore's scheme would be a bonus.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the offseason searching for more pass-catching depth. They made a splash when they acquired DK Metcalf in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks. Unfortunately, they're back to square one after trading George Pickens to the Cowboys. There's little experience and productivity behind Metcalf.
The expectation is that future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers will soon join the Steelers. That immediately places them in win-now mode. Rodgers and the Steelers will need a lot more at receiver. As currently constructed, they're overly reliant on Robert Woods, Calvin Austin III, and Roman Wilson. The veteran QB would appreciate Cooper's reliability and catch radius. The initial vision was to pair Metcalf with Pickens, but that was derailed. Cooper would immediately become Metcalf's top new running mate.
