The Cleveland Browns made a huge move that could end up defining their season.
Trading for Jerry Jeudy was a low-risk/high-reward kind of transaction, but doubling down on him by signing him to a contract extension added more risk to the equation.
That’s not only because of Jeudy’s history of underperforming but also because they will now have to pay Amari Cooper as well.
At least, that’s how NFL analyst Joe Dolan seems to think.
Talking on the “Ross Tucker Podcast,” Dolan pointed out the fact that Cooper’s annual average in guarantees is only $8 million, which is far below what one would expect from a player of his caliber.
“Yeah he’s younger, but I’m better”@FG_Dolan thinks Amari Cooper could use Jerry Jeudy’s new contract as a baseline for his: pic.com/OxsfuhYOsN
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) June 15, 2024
So, with Jeudy’s contract on the books, Cooper could now use that deal as the baseline for a contract of his own.
And while some might argue that Jeudy could be more valuable because he’s younger, Cooper is clearly the better player.
With Ken Dorsey now taking the reins of the offense, Deshaun Watson getting back to full strength, and the Browns looking to be more of a pass-happy offense, Cooper’s value should only get bigger within this team.
They could’ve traded him in the offseason, but they didn’t, meaning they clearly think of him as a pivotal part of their future, even at his age.
And with the current state of the wide receiver market, they will have no choice but to meet his salary demands if that’s the case, even if that means paying more than they would want.
