With NFL training camps set to open in about one month, veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper remains a free agent. The 5-time Pro Bowler is likely waiting for the perfect situation to come to him, and probably wants to play for a contender.
It was thought he could be the piece that put the Buffalo Bills over the top when they traded for him last season, but he caught only 20 passes in eight games for the team, which once again failed to get past the Kansas City Chiefs in the postseason.
The Denver Broncos have a young wide receiver corps behind Courtland Sutton, and Douglas Fritz of Clutch Points feels that Cooper would be the perfect addition to the roster.
“With Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., and Devaughn Vale leading the way, the Broncos have a fairly weak group of receivers, according to Pro Football Focus.
“While the Broncos gave quarterback Bo Nix the highest-graded pass-blocking unit in football (83.5), they didn’t provide ample skill-position weapons,” PFF wrote. “The Broncos earned the fifth-worst PFF receiving grade and the fifth-worst PFF rushing grade in 2024. Denver is hoping the following two players will fix that issue.”
But it’s hard to imagine Evan Engram, a tight end, and RJ Harvey, a running back, solving the issue as PFF suggested”, wrote Fritz.
This is not the first time Cooper has been connected to the Broncos this offseason and if the perception is that the Broncos need another veteran in the room, several options will remain on the table, though that list is dwindling. Cooper and Keenan Allen are the biggest names still available.
Broncos wide receiver depth chart and career stats
| Player | Experience | Career Receptions |
| Courtland Sutton | 7 seasons | 379 |
| Marvin Mims Jr. | 2 seasons | 61 |
| Devaughn Vele | 1 season | 41 |
| Troy Franklin | 1 season | 28 |
| Pat Bryant | Rookie | 0 |
| Trent Sherfield | 7 seasons | 86 |
| A.T. Perry | 2 seasons | 12 |
| Michael Bandy | 3 seasons | 10 |
| Jerjuan Newton | Rookie | 0 |
| Joaquin Davis | Rookie | 0 |
| Courtney Jackson | Rookie | 0 |
| Kyrese White | Rookie | 0 |
If you subtract Sutton’s numbers, the Broncos only have 238 receptions in the NFL among the rest of the wide receiver group. However, that doesn’t seem to bother Sean Payton, who likes his receiving group much more than most of the fanbase realizes.
So while it’s natural to assume that he would like to find another proven veteran for Bo Nix to throw to, it’s likely not something he views as anything close to a necessity. With the signing of Evan Engram in free agency and some running backs who are more than capable catching the ball out of the backfield, Payton pretty much has what he wants.
You’d also have to question how effective Cooper can be at this stage in his career. Now 31 years old, he never looked right last season and that was magnified following the move to Buffalo. The Bills, who gave up a third-round pick in the draft to obtain Cooper, have also made no real attempt to bring him back despite having a wide receiver group that is void of a superstar or even a proven veteran.
The Broncos are likely just fine staying away from Cooper and if they’re looking to add a veteran, Allen might be the player who makes more sense.
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