Grading the Cleveland Browns moves during legal tampering

Cleveland Browns tampering period move no. 1 trade for Amari Cooper

Grade: A-

Everyone has talked at length about just how badly the Browns needed to upgrade the wide receiver position. They did that on Saturday when they traded for Amari Cooper of the Dallas Cowboys for a 5th round pick and a swamp of the team’s 6th round picks.

In Cooper, the Cleveland Browns found a true number one receiver and a player that is a perfect fit for the offense run by Kevin Stefanski. In Cooper’s eight years in the NFL, he has recorded five seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards. He has the speed to stretch the field vertically, which is another thing the Browns badly needed.

Cooper is one of if not the best route runners at the position in the entire NFL. He is such a smooth runner in and out of his breaks and has the ability to create a lot of separation. He also creates a lot after the catch, which again was a thing that the Browns struggled to do last season. Cooper came with a big price tag but is almost guaranteed to be better than any player drafted in the fifth round this year.

The Browns will likely still need to add another body to help Cooper but the Browns absolutely had to find a number one receiver and they did just that before free agency even began.