Caleb Harris
At this point, it would be easier to name the AFC North starters who actually participated in their team’s respective spring practices. Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins did not participate in OTAs due to their desire to receive new contracts. Like Higgins, Cleveland’s Amari Cooper decided to skip OTAs and mandatory minicamp while he waits to receive a contract extension.
The Bengals appear to be free of both Chase (who participated in minicamp) and Higgins (who signed his franchise tag earlier this week). And while Cooper’s contract situation is still in flux, Browns general manager Andrew Berry’s recent quotes on the matter suggest that an outcome similar to what’s unfolding in Cincinnati will eventually happen in Cleveland.
“What I will say about Amari is, as long as he’s been a member of the Cleveland Browns, he’s obviously been a high-level, Pro Bowl-caliber receiver,” Berry said, via NFL Media. “But he is also a great teammate and a great professional. We are happy to have you as a member of the organization.
“Sometimes all teams will have periods when they go through this type of situation, but that doesn’t change our affinity with Amari. We’ll navigate the business considerations, the business aspects, as it happens, but he’s a big part of our team and, equally important, he’s a big part of our culture.”
Cooper, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Monday, is entering the final year of a five-year, $100 million extension he signed in 2020 while still a member of the Dallas Cowboys. Nineteen receivers are slated to earn more than Cooper’s 2024 base salary of $20 million.
As he enters his 10th season, Cooper has shown no signs of slowing down in 2023. In fact, you could argue that his most recent season has been his best yet.
In 15 games, Cooper caught 72 passes for a career-high 1,250 yards and five touchdowns. He was utterly dominant in Cleveland’s Week 15 victory over the Texans, when he caught 11 of 15 targets for a franchise-record 265 yards and two touchdowns. That day, Cooper became only the second player in NFL history of having 200-yard receiving games for three different franchises.
Cooper’s projected market value is pegged at just $88.289 million over four years, for an average annual salary of $22 million, according to Spotrac. Cooper quarterback Deshaun Watson feels his teammate is worth every penny of whatever contract he signs next.
“He’s the best in the game and I believe that,” Watson said recently, via conversation about professional football. “He shows it every year. He’s shown it the last two years with different quarterbacks. So I think you have to put him there, if not the best.”
o globo notícias
globo.com rio de janeiro
o globo noticia
globo com rio de janeiro
globo.com g1
jornal globo
