The Las Vegas Raiders must upgrade their wide receiver room, as the team doesn’t have a starting-caliber player in the position group outside of Jakobi Meyers and hasn’t addressed the pressing need in free agency.
General manager John Spytek could wait for April’s draft to add another playmaker, but Bleacher Report’s Paul Kasabian believes the Raiders should sign Buffalo Bills free agent wide receiver Amari Cooper.
“Might Amari Cooper’s career go full circle? The former Alabama star went fourth overall in the 2015 NFL draft to the Raiders, when they played in Oakland. He played three-plus seasons in Oakland before a trade to the Dallas Cowboys. The Raiders have a need at wideout, especially after parting ways with Davante Adams via trade to the New York Jets last season,” Kasabian wrote.
Cooper had a down year in 2024, as the veteran hauled in just 44 receptions for 547 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games. The former first-round pick was traded to the Bills from the Cleveland Browns in a blockbuster deal during the 2024 trade deadline but struggled to find a role in Buffalo’s offense.
Though Cooper will be 31 years old when the season begins and is coming off an underwhelming campaign, a reunion with the Raiders would be beneficial for him and the team. Las Vegas desperately needs another wide receiver, and Cooper would immediately step in as the No.2 receiver and have a featured role in Chip Kelly’s offense.
The five-time Pro Bowler is still a savvy route runner and would be an adequate security blanket for quarterback Geno Smith. Additionally, Cooper is unlikely to land a lucrative deal due to his disappointing performance in 2024. The Raiders could sign the Florida native to a team-friendly contract with little risk and see if he can have a bounce-back season in the place where his career began.
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