Browns news: Typically quiet Amari Cooper makes bold statement after huge outing

Amari Cooper is a consummate pro and one of the quietest players on the Cleveland Browns roster — he's easily the most reserved out there right now with Nick Chubb sidelined. Even with that quiet demeanor, he's an absolute beast on the field. That showed this weekend when he set a franchise record with 265 yards through the air.

Cooper also topped 1,000 yards for the year, which happened on the opening play of the game. That made history as well since he's the first player in team history to record 1,000 yards in two consecutive years. Simply put, the Browns stole him from Dallas and his rapport with Joe Flacco is something to behold.

After the win, Cooper was asked about his big day. He typically shies away from self-promotion but he had no problem saying how confident he is in his own abilities. That story and more can be found in today's news round-up.

Cleveland Browns News

Browns WR Amari Cooper on record-breaking 265-yard performance in win over Texans: 'I'm unguardable' — Coral Smith, NFL.com

"Yeah, I mean every time I step on the field, I try to put forth my best effort, I do truly feel like I'm unguardable," Cooper said in a post-game interview with NFL Network's Stacey Dales. "You know it's all about opportunities, and I had a lot of opportunities today, so I was able to take advantage of them."

Cooper is an elite route-runner and he's proved that time and again throughout his career. Even so, he seems to be doubted an awful lot — which is likely due to his approach. If he self-promoted more often, some might realize just how good he is. In the end, none of that matters, but he's correct that he can be absolutely unguardable.

How the Browns could be in dire straits at kicker on a short week — Dan Labbe, Cleveland.com

"You can probably guess there aren’t a ton of options out there for a team in need of a kicker. The free agent list is a who’s who of uninspiring names short of coaxing Robbie Gould out of retirement."

One interesting note in Dan Labbe's piece is that Myles Garrett might be used as a punter in an emergency situation — that's something many fans would love to see at least once. As for the kicking situation, Robbie Gould would be a great starting point — if he's willing to un-retire. Other than that, they're going to be taking a gamble, which is frustrating after Dustin Hopkins has been so automatic.

3 kickers the Cleveland Browns can sign to fill in for Dustin Hopkins — DPD

This list doesn't include Robbie Gould but he could be added. Again, it all depends on whether or not he's even interested. There are some others, including Brett Maher, who has been inconsistent throughout his career but can get hot. He's also hit from beyond 60, so distance will be no issue for him.

Week 16 instant reactions: Browns rout Texans as Amari Cooper explodes

Amari Cooper went off and the defense made enough plays to keep the Texans from coming back. The final score was 36-22 but the game wasn't that close. Now on a short week, the Browns will turn their attention to the New York Jets.

More Browns news and analysis