Former Cleveland Browns wideout Amari Cooper is no stranger to starting a new with a different team. After being traded to the Buffalo Bills earlier this week, it will be the fourth organization he's played for throughout the course of his 10-year career.
A rejuvenated Cooper expressed how he's embracing another fresh start in Buffalo during his first press conference with his new team.
"It's just that feeling of, having a fresh beginning, a new start, a blank canvas that you get to control your destiny," Cooper said in his introductory press conference on Wednesday. Much like when he arrived in Cleveland in 2022, Cooper isn't looking to come in and do anything differently than the previous times he's been traded.
"Just being me," Cooper added. "I've been playing this game for a long time. Obviously, long before the NFL. I think I have a good feel for the game. Just got to go out there and play, like I said before, it's just football, you know, go out there, know your assignment, and then just play freely."
Playing freely is something that seemed to be lacking for Cooper through the first six weeks of the season in Cleveland. The 30-year-old, uncharacteristically leads the league in drops and there seemed to be a disconnect between him and quarterback Deshaun Watson. Some of that likely stemmed from the failed contract talks with the organization this summer.
In his new situation, Cooper joins one of the best quarterbacks in football in Josh Allen. Cooper was quick to rave about his new quarterback.
"It's phenomenal every time I turn on the television and watch him play," Cooper said of Allen. "He plays with a lot of grit, a lot of hustle. He plays hard, and obviously he's been one of the top quarterbacks in the game for a while now. So just to be able to play with him and experience that in person, think is going to be real cool."
While Cleveland fans are left wondering what the next chapter of the Browns looks like with Cooper now out of the picture, the 2015 first-round pick appears excited about his next chapter with a team that has high expectations for the remainder of the 2024 season.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/browns/ as What Did Ex-Browns WR Amari Cooper Say In His First Bills Press Conference?.