Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs may be off to a 5-0 start to the 2024 NFL season, but there’s one position they could really use some help at due to injury.
The Chiefs have lacked quality at wide receiver in recent years. As a result, the team signed Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to a one-year contract and drafted Xavier Worthy in the first round out of Texas this past offseason.
Heading into 2024, Kansas City looked to have a strong trio with Brown, Worthy, and second-year standout Rashee Rice.
However, Brown suffered a season-ending sternoclavicular joint dislocation on the first offensive play of Kansas City’s preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In addition, Rice suffered a season-ending PCL injury in the team’s 17-10, Week 4 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chiefs have lost two talented receivers, and Mahomes’ pass-catching options now consist of Worthy, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Justin Watson, Mecole Hardman, and Sky Moore.
In a post for Bleacher Report, Kristopher Knox shared some players who might be traded and their potential suitors. One pairing he made was current Cleveland Bown Amari Cooper and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Browns had “no plans” to trade Cooper after the team’s 20-16, Week 4 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. However, Knox suggested “things should change” after being dismantled in Week 5 by the Washington Commanders, 34-13.
“Sunday’s embarrassment should change Cleveland’s tune,” Knox wrote. “The Browns can’t even play competitive football with (Deshaun) Watson (Browns quarterback) under center, and this is shaping up to be a lost season.”
Cooper is currently under a 5-year, $100 million contract with the Cleveland Browns. This contract was initially signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020, before he was traded to the Browns in 2022
Knox also discussed Cooper’s contract situation, which would be team-friendly if the Chiefs decided to move for him. Cooper will be a free agent at the end of this season, so it might be in Cleveland’s best interest to at least get something in return for him, as there’s no guarantee he’ll resign.
“Cooper can be viewed as a cost-efficient short-term rental,” Knox added. “Thanks to an offseason restructuring, Cooper carries a base salary of just $1.2 million this season. A strong offer should pry Cooper out of Cleveland since he’s set to be a 2025 free agent and probably has no interest in returning to the current mess.”
Cooper is in his 11th NFL season and third with the Browns. In his career, he’s accumulated 687 receptions for 9,694 yards and 62 touchdowns. Cooper is also a five-time Pro Bowler and won the Biletnikoff Award during his time at the University of Alabama, given annually to the best wide receiver in college football.
The next time fans can catch him in action will be on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Fox.
