Browns 'most important contract extension' is no-brainer

Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report recently named one player from every NFL franchise who is considered the "team's most important contract extension ahead of the 2024" season. For the Cleveland Browns, the selection was a no-brainer as he picked the one player who is currently holding out, Amari Cooper.

In two seasons with the Browns, Cooper has yet to record fewer than 1,000 yards and even set a franchise record with 265 yards receiving in his final regular season appearance in 2023. A precise route-runner with no time for trash-talking, Cooper hardly gets the credit he deserves but as Deshaun Watson recently said, he's one of the best in the business.

While his numbers speak for themselves, extending Cooper would do more than just keep the offense on track. As Fowler states, it could also help them move some of the money around to help with cap flexibility down the road.

"As the wideout market continues to evolve as superstars put pen to paper, locking up Cooper for the long haul will also provide Berry with much-needed cap flexibility down the road." — Fowler, Bleacher Report

General manager Andrew Berry has been a cap wizard who can find ways to move money around thanks to owner Jimmy Haslam's willingness to convert much of the player's salaries into bonuses. Cooper enters 2024 with no guaranteed money and a cap hit of $23.77 million.

Extending Cooper now could actually lower his cap hit in 2024 and give the franchise more room to negotiate with others in line for a new deal. The primary target there could be Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, a second-round pick from 2021 who exploded in 2023 and enters the final year of his rookie deal.

The good news is that Berry has been adamant that Cleveland wants to keep Cooper, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see something come together before the report to training camp in late July.

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