Community Convo: For Browns, Amari Cooper or Tee Higgins?

An unrealistic decision but an interesting conversation

We are in the part of the NFL season/offseason where everything is possible while nothing is happening. Teams could do almost anything. The possibilities are almost endless which makes things like mock drafts both fun and pointless.

That is especially true with NFL free agency happening before the NFL draft. Veterans will be cut, signed and traded a ton before the draft happens.

For the Cleveland Browns, every offseason has been a busy one with GM Andrew Berry in charge. With 26 free agents along with eight draft picks and some flexible cap space, the Browns could make a lot of moves this offseason.

WR Tee Higgins sits near the top of any free agent list with the Cincinnati Bengals in a difficult place where paying him after QB Joe Burrow and before WR Ja’Marr Chase could be difficult. Cleveland QB Deshaun Watson has already started his recruiting pitch.

The possibilities being endless brings us to a simple yet difficult question: If you had to choose between keeping WR Amari Cooper or signing Higgins, which would you choose?

Tale of the Tape

Amari Cooper

• 29.5 years old
• 6’1”, 211 pounds
• Career years with Cleveland the last two seasons
• One year left on contract, $23 million cap hit

Tee Higgins

• 25 years old
• 6’4”, 219 pounds
• Over 900 yards in 3 of the first 4 seasons
• Projected contract of four years, $97 million ($24.25 yearly)

Adding to the uncertainty is that the Cincinnati Bengals could place the franchise tag on Higgins in an attempt to trade him. The Browns could get some assets back in a trade for Cooper but nowhere near what they might have to give up to the Bengals for Higgins. Cincinnati’s general manager seems prepared to move on without his #2 receiver:

Given the above data and your expectations of what it would cost to acquire Higgins, would you choose Cooper or Higgins this offseason if you were Andrew Berry?