Historically, in-season trades for wide receivers don’t provide substantial help.
When those trades have worked, it’s usually because of deep familiarity. Such was the case with Deion Branch returning to Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots in 2010. The New York Jets hope a similar rekindling happens between Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams.
Onboarding a new receiver on the fly is difficult. The offseason is crucial to developing a precious symbiosis with the quarterback, absorbing the coaching staff’s philosophies, learning the terminology and mastering the playbook.
“Probably one of the harder (positions),” said Bills general manager Brandon Beane, “unless they’ve played in that exact system before.”
Perhaps the biggest exception in the NFL’s current era was the guy Beane traded for Tuesday.
Amari Cooper was a difference-maker the other time he was an October acquisition. Plopped into an established organization, he catalyzed the 2018 Dallas Cowboys’ sputtering, one-dimensional offense into a versatile attack.
“Amari made an impact as our No. 1 receiver right away, which is a little bit different,” said Scott Linehan, the Cowboys offensive coordinator that season. “To me, it was one of the best in-season trades of any kind for a team.”
The Bills, in need of greater production from their wideouts, sent third- and seventh-round draft picks to the Cleveland Browns for Cooper and a sixth-round pick.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott, Beane and Cooper were coy Wednesday when asked how much the five-time Pro Bowler might play Sunday against the Tennessee Titans in Highmark Stadium, although there are ways to get Cooper involved quickly.
“When you come in on a short week, he won’t have to learn all the plays right now,” longtime NFL receivers coach Ray Sherman said. “He can learn a game plan and the plays they put in for him. He’s going to be a threat.”
As an offensive coordinator for three NFL teams and a receivers coach for six others, Sherman experienced his share of pedestrian in-season acquisitions, none more frustrating than the Cowboys sending first- and third-round picks to the Detroit Lions for Roy Williams at the 2008 trade deadline. Considered the worst trade in Cowboys history, Williams averaged 31 catches for 441 yards and four touchdowns over three seasons.
Undaunted by the failure, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones went after Cooper a decade later — and was rewarded grandly.
Dallas entered its bye week with a 3-4 record, two games behind Washington and third in the NFC East. Perennial Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten was retired, and the Cowboys didn’t replace injured star receiver Dez Bryant. With a menagerie of journeymen and youth instead, defenses could load up to stop running back Ezekiel Elliott and dared them to throw. But the Cowboys couldn’t. Per game, they ranked 27th in receiving yards, 27th in receiving TDs, 30th in receiving first downs and 24th in catch percentage.
“Adding Amari gave us a jolt,” Linehan said. “We were trying to find ourselves, and the minute we got Amari in there, we were able to have big offensive outings because it was pretty much defined: We were going to have one-on-one opportunities outside until they honored us.
“He impacted us right away. We went up in every category, red-zone production, third downs, all the key offensive elements — you name it — just because we were able to get matchups in our favor.”
Dallas finished the regular season 7-2 with Cooper on the roster. As rushing efficiency dipped somewhat, Linehan had more options to deploy. Cooper snagged 53 passes for 725 yards and six touchdowns. As an offense over that span, the Cowboys ranked 11th in receiving yards, 17th in receiving TDs, ninth in receiving first downs and second in catch percentage.
Cooper was pivotal in victories over Washington and Philadelphia, combining for 18 receptions, 397 yards and five touchdowns. In two playoff games, he added 13 catches, 171 yards, a TD and a two-point conversion.
Amari Cooper was a big contributor after the Cowboys acquired him in 2008, including his 180 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a win against Washington. (Richard Rodriguez / Getty Images)
“Our ability to have a go-to weapon in our offense, there were key games where he was the difference,” Linehan said. “If we didn’t have him on our team at that part of the season, I don’t know what would have happened to us. I’m unsure we would have made the playoffs.”
Buffalo this year is facing a similar situation to Dallas’ in 2018. After jettisoning Stefon Diggs from the roster, Buffalo opted for journeymen and youth. Josh Allen through six games is averaging eight completions to wideouts, and if not for a couple missed field goals Monday night, New York would be first in the AFC East standings right now.
Cooper is 30 years old and has dropped nine passes in what has been another disastrous campaign with Cleveland’s collapsible quarterback, Deshaun Watson, but Cooper provides a lot of traits the Bills crave: route acumen, separation skills, presence.
“His contested-catch ability is through the roof,” Allen said.
Beane was compelled to add Cooper now instead of closer to the Nov. 5 trade deadline because orientation takes longer for receivers. Beane said it’s easier to plug an offensive lineman into the starting lineup or even a cornerback like the Bills did with Rasul Douglas last year than a wideout.
“The sooner I could get someone here, if it made sense, the better chance they’re going to be able to help us down the stretch,” Beane said.
But the move was necessary for short-term dividends, too. These Bills can’t take any games for granted, not even against the 1-4 Titans.
Linehan and Sherman agreed that Monday night illustrated yet again how badly Buffalo’s passing game needed an infusion. Allen was a one-man show, and rookie tailback Ray Davis was sensational with 152 scrimmage yards, but 23 points won’t be enough against better opposition.
“It’s apparent there is a void at times in the Bills’ offense,” Linehan said. “You can win any game when Josh is your quarterback, but to have that X-factor on the outside part of the field, if he can do what he did for us, it’s probably what the doctor ordered.”
What do Linehan and Sherman know about the value of star receivers? Linehan called plays for Hall of Famers Randy Moss and Calvin Johnson, was the Miami Dolphins’ offensive coordinator for Chris Chambers’ lone Pro Bowl season and was St. Louis Rams head coach with Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt.
Sherman was San Francisco 49ers receivers coach for Jerry Rice and John Taylor, was the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive coordinator for the deadly Moss-Cris Carter-Jake Reed trio in 1999 and worked with luminaries such as Terrell Owens, Art Monk and Donald Driver in other stops.
“Amari’s probably glad to be out of Cleveland, and it’s going to help Buffalo,” said Sherman, who has watched every Bills game because of his close friendship with tight ends coach Rob Boras, the two having worked together on the Rams’ staff. “Even with things going wrong in Cleveland, Amari was going hard. He doesn’t complain. He just plays.
“When you get guys like that? Guys who say, ‘Just tell me what you want me to do, coach.’ You don’t find very many who don’t have any hangups about jumping in and just wanting to play.”
Cooper benefited from the bye week in Dallas, but he also has the benefit of having experienced an in-season move before. Everyone interviewed for this story raved about his football IQ. And he has Bills receivers coach Adam Henry for support. Henry coached the Cowboys’ receivers in 2020 and 2021. Cooper said he’s one of the few Cowboys staffers he maintained contact with the past few years.
At his introductory news conference, Cooper was asked Wednesday what expectations are realistic.
“I just got here, you know what I mean?” Cooper said. “So I don’t really have an expectation right now that I can chalk up to being realistic until I go through the week.
“If I had to answer the question, the expectation would just be to take full advantage of my opportunities. That’s it.”
(Top photo: Richard Rodriguez / Getty Images)
