Browns WR Amari Cooper doesn’t mince words: ‘I’m trying to get paid this year’

At 30 years old, Cooper is squarely in the final window of his career in which he can make significant money via a multi-year deal. It’s why he sat out of mandatory minicamp and accepted the likelihood he’d be fined for his absence, all with the knowledge the additional money he might make will outweigh what he’d lose by not attending.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry explained Cooper’s absence as a matter of business earlier in June, adding “it does not change our affinity for Amari.” There’s no guarantee, though, that they’ll complete a deal anytime soon. But on the bright side, animosity doesn’t seem to exist between the two parties.

With this in mind, no one can blame Cooper for admitting he’s trying to get paid in 2024. The transparency is refreshing. Now, we wait to see if he’ll cash in, or play out the final year of his five-year, $100 million deal without long-term security.