Amari Cooper breaks the Browns single-game receiving yard

By the time the Dallas Cowboys realized they needed to move Amari Cooper, he was essentially free.

A fifth-round pick and a sixth-round pick were delivered by the Cleveland Browns in exchange for Cooper before the 2022 regular season began. There could be regrets for the Cowboys. And many other teams do as well.

Like he did for the Cowboys and the Raiders before that, Cooper has been excellent for the Browns. Along with 11 catches and two touchdowns, Cooper set a Cleveland team record with 265 receiving yards in Sunday’s 36-22 victory over the Houston Texans. The previous record for yards was held by Josh Gordon, who had 261.

With 46 points, Cooper’s day tops all wide receiver fantasy games this season, with D.J. Moore’s 45. Cooper’s big start propelled him over the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight season, making him the first receiver in Browns history to have two consecutive seasons of 1,000 yards or more. All of this for the price of a fifth-round pick and a slight move back in the sixth round. That’s quite the heist.

Silently and reliably, Cooper ranks among the NFL’s top receivers each and every season. In nine NFL seasons, this is his seventh season with 1,000 yards or more. Even more astounding is the fact that he is not yet thirty years old.

He ought to have a couple more seasons as one of the NFL’s top receivers. This month, hopefully, the Browns sent a Christmas card to the Cowboys.