In 2022, the Browns made an attempt to acquire Calvin Ridley.

Amari Cooper ended up in Cleveland after a few more pieces fell into place. Apart from the fact that the

Cowboys decided his contract could no longer support them financially, Cooper’s arrival at Browns appears to have

been dependent on the failure of trade negotiations with the Falcons. According to SI . com’s Albert Breer, the

Browns were one of the teams in on Calvin Ridley before focusing on Cooper in March 2022. One of the wide

receiver dominoes from a pivotal offseason in the position’s history is a Ridley-Eagles “what if?” The Browns now

loom here as well. Before Ridley’s suspension became public, the Eagles were on the verge of signing him, but the

Browns also made an agreement with the Falcons. Breer continues, “The team anticipated that Mike Williams and

Chris Godwin would be franchise-tagged.”. Just before the 2022 free agency period, Williams re-signed with the

Chargers on a three-year, $60 million contract that matched Cooper’s 2020 terms. Only Godwin was not. The

Browns were getting ready to trade for Deshaun Watson when this took pieces off the table. Because of

Ridley’s suspension, the Browns were able to acquire Cooper for a significantly lesser price than the

Cowboys had to pay to get him from the Raiders in 2018. Cooper was traded to the Browns in exchange for a fifth-

round pick and a trade of sixth picks by the Cowboys, who had sent the Raiders a first-round pick for him in 2018.

According to Breer, other teams watched to see if the Cowboys would cut Cooper, but his contract no longer appears

to be very onerous.

Cooper was a great addition for the Browns prior to the receiver market’s explosion in 2018. His $100MM, five-

year contract expires in 2024, and following the wave of receiver extensions that shaped the ’22 offseason, it started

to appear more promising. The market ceiling was raised by Tyreek Hill and Davante

Adams to $30MM annually, and the Eagles kicked off the 2019 class’s extension run by awarding A. J. Brown is

guaranteed $25MM annually and a position-record $56.5MM. following people like D.K, Deebo Samuel,

and Terry McLaurin. Cooper’s $20MM AAV fell into a tie for eleventh place at the position after Metcalf signed.

Cooper is signed to a $23,8MM contract with Cleveland through 2024. The team from the AFC North is probably

considering an extension that would lower that amount. A number of teams added Ridley to their roster prior to the

trade deadline of the previous year, even though the Browns and Eagles made their receiver moves during Ridley’s

suspension. The Falcons received a few offers, but after working with the suspended wide receiver, he was traded to

the Jaguars for two picks; the terms of the trade are still being worked out. The Falcons received a conditional 2024

pick and a 2023 fifth-round pick from the Jaguars. Due to Ridley’s inclusion on Jacksonville’s 53-man roster this

season, that pick has already become a fourth; should the contract-year pass catcher sign an extension with the Jags,

it would become a second. For the Jags, Ridley, 29, has had an inconsistent season despite gaining 871 yards.

Christian Kirk is contracted through two.