Amari Cooper - Pro Football Rumors

AFC Notes: Raiders, Jags, Bengals

November 26th, 2017 at 6:28pm CST by GregGoldstein

There was a team-wide brawl that took place between the Raiders and Broncos this afternoon, started by Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree and Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib. The two have a had a go of it in the past, when both engaged each other during a game last season. However, this fight was capped off by Crabtree throwing and partly landing a punch at the head of Talib. Both players were immediately ejected from the game, which forced the veteran wideout to watch the rest of the contest from a suite, according to Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com.

The Raiders receiving corps took a further hit in the AFC West battle as they lost Amari Cooper for the game with a concussion, Gutierrez also passes along. The 23-year-old wideout suffered the injury when he was hit in the head by Broncos safety Darian Stewart on a collision over the middle of the field. There appeared to be no malicious intent behind the play, even though there was a personal foul penalty given. Nevertheless, Oakland may be without both their top receivers for next week’s game because of what transpired today versus Denver. The Raiders would need extra contributions from the likes of Seth Roberts, Johnny Holton and Cordarrelle Patterson should Crabtree get suspended and Cooper not pass concussion protocol.
The Jaguars were hit with a concussion of their own as starting linebacker Telvin Smith did not return after suffering the injury, reports Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. Smith has been one of many key contributors in what has turned into perhaps the best defense in football. This situation will certainly be worth monitoring throughout the upcoming practice week.
Bengals running back Joe Mixon had the best game of his professional career in the team’s blowout of the Browns. The second round pick tallied over 160 yards from scrimmage, while averaging exactly five yards per carry. Mixon had already been getting a lot of work in recent weeks, but finally broke through with a performance that he and the team were waiting for. “It feels great,” said Mixon, “The offensive line was great and the receivers did a great job blocking on the perimeters and we just went out and finished.” (Quote courtesy of Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com). Look for Mixon to continue to be a big part of the Cincinnati offense in the last five games of the season.
In other Bengals news, backup quarterback A.J. McCarron was seen mingling with Browns head coach Hue Jackson and owner Jimmy Haslam before Sunday’s game. This is notable considering Cleveland tried to trade for the signal caller right before the deadline, but it’s not something that McCarron really focused on when discussing the interaction after the contest. “No point talking about the trade. It didn’t happen and it’s not going to happen now,” McCarron said. “I saw Mr. Haslam just to say hey to him. I’ve known Mr. Haslam through the whole draft process. I took a visit there. He’s a good Tennessee guy and you know the love between Tennessee and Alabama.” (Quote courtesy of Hobson).

Extra Points: Pats, Julio, Fluker, Cooper

September 17th, 2015 at 9:34pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The DeflateGate scandal reentered the news Thursday when Mark Baltz, the NFL’s head linesman from 1989-2013, voiced his suspicion regarding recently reinstated Patriots employee Jim McNally. In response, Jim Daopoulos – the league’s ex-supervisor of officials and one of Baltz’s former bosses – defended McNally.

“In all my years working with locker-room attendants, Jim McNally, without a doubt, is probably one of the most professional of all the locker-room attendants in the National Football League,” Daopoulos said, according to CSNNE.com. “And that can be attested by all the officials working in the National Football League.”

“I really don’t know what Mark’s agenda is right here,” Daopoulos added.

Other news from around the league:

Although Falcons star receiver Julio Jones has been limited this week with a hamstring injury, head coach Dan Quinn says there’s “zero” chance he’ll miss their game Sunday, per The Associated Press. Jones lit up the Eagles for nine catches, 141 yards and two touchdowns in Monday’s win. He’ll look to do something similar against the Giants this week.
Chargers guard D.J. Fluker was carted off the field with an ankle injury during the team’s Week 1 win over Detroit, and there was concern that he’d miss anywhere from four to six weeks. Instead, Fluker will only miss a couple weeks, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. In the meantime, Chris Hairston will take his spot as the starting right guard.
Raiders receiver Amari Cooper harbors no ill will toward Bengals cornerback Adam Jones, who avoided a suspension after ripping Cooper’s helmet off his head and slamming his head against the ground in Cincy’s win last week. “I didn’t want him to get suspended,” Cooper said, per Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. “He was just playing football and playing physical like you’re supposed to. I’m past all that now. I’m trying to focus on the Ravens.” (Twitter links: 1; 2).
Seahawks rookie defensive end Frank Clark is a situation player – for now, anyway – and using Richard Sherman in the slot enables the team to get its three best cornerbacks on the field, D-coordinator Kris Richard said (Twitter link via The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta).
The Colts’ decision to waive/injured running back Vick Ballard prior to Week 1 remains a curious one, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. They did it to open up a spot for inside linebacker Josh McNary, but they have a logjam of ILBs. On the other hand, they’re lacking at running back behind starter Frank Gore.

Raiders Sign Amari Cooper

May 11th, 2015 at 10:00am CST by Zachary Links

MAY 11: Cooper’s deal with the Raiders is for four years. It includes $22.7MM in guaranteed money and a $14.8MM signing bonus, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link)

MAY 7: The Raiders announced that they have signed first-round pick Amari Cooper, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter). Oakland selected Cooper, believed by many to be the best wide receiver in this year’s class, with the No. 4 overall pick.

As Daniel Brown of the Mercury News notes, both GM Reggie McKenzie and coach Jack Del Rio described the Alabama star as “polished” numerous times on draft day. Cooper doesn’t just come with high upside, he comes with the ability to make a major impact right out of the gate in Oakland. His skills have impressed the best of the best, including Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff.

“If you know nothing about football, you might not see that he’s mature beyond his years,” Biletnikoff, 72, told Brown. “But he’s a step ahead when it comes to the things required to be a receiver. The way he runs his routes, catches balls, gets open. He can do it against man-to-man coverage or press or zone. This guy is not one-dimensional. “He can line up inside, outside, right or left and do a good job wherever he is. Jack and Reggie and the staff were dead on when they talked about him.”

In 2014, Cooper hauled in 124 catches for 1,727 yards and 16 TDs across 14 games.

Jets Rumors: Wilkerson, Washington, Draft

April 30th, 2015 at 10:53am CST by Zachary Links

The draft isn’t in New York anymore, but that won’t stop some ambitious Jets fans from booing their team’s first round pick, as Stu Woo of The Wall Street Journal writes. “The booing is more than just about this year’s draft,” one fan said. “It’ll never stop unless there’s a Super Bowl.” The latest on the Jets..

The Jets are high on Leonard Williams, Dante Fowler Jr., and Amari Cooper. They’ll likely be gone by No. 6, however, and Rich Cimini of ESPN.com hears from sources that there are now four projected targets for the Jets at No. 6: wide receiver Kevin White, outside linebacker Bud Dupree, offensive lineman Brandon Scherff, and running back Todd Gurley (though he adds that Gurley is a longshot).
Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson has come up in discussion with at least one other team picking in the top five, but it’s still doubtful that he’ll be traded at this point, Manish Mehta of the Daily News tweets.
A Jets source told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that he was hearing buzz of Washington possibly moving down. The Jets are very interested in how that plays out since it will impact them at No. 6.
The source who spoke with Anderson (link) also didn’t didn’t rule out the possibility of moving out of No. 6 and he said that additional positions may be considered if they do. Many have said that the Jets could drop back in the draft though if they stay put, a pass rusher seems like a good possibility.

Jaguars Torn Between Fowler And Cooper?

April 30th, 2015 at 9:22am CST by Zachary Links

9:22am: Mark Long of The Associated Press (on Twitter) hears that the Jags won’t be taking Fowler at No. 3.

9:09am: People in football circles believe that the Jaguars are torn between Florida standout Dante Fowler Jr. and receiver Amari Cooper, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The thinking is that coach Gus Bradley wants Fowler while GM Dave Caldwell wants Cooper.

Recently, one AFC personnel executive, who claims he identified Blake Bortles as Jacksonville’s target prior to draft night last year, told Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports that he believes Jacksonville is locked in on the Alabama receiver this time around.

“I think the third spot could shock people [again],” the source said. “I think they like Cooper more than they are letting on. You hear things and they have been pretty good about what’s getting out there. It’s a lot like it was last year.”

The Jags, having selected two receivers early in last year’s draft, would seem to have greater needs at other positions. While Jacksonville certainly wants to give Bortles the weapons necessary to succeed, the team has Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson, and Allen Hurns under contract, and landed Julius Thomas in free agency this offseason. A defensive playmaker such as Fowler (or USC star Leonard Williams) would seem to be a better fit.

While selecting Cooper would raise some eyebrows around the league, Caldwell said recently that the team needs one difference-making player rather than two solid contributors, and the young receiver fits that bill.

Pompei On Flowers, Mariota, Cooper

April 30th, 2015 at 8:54am CST by Zachary Links

Ereck Flowers could be the surprise player to go in the top ten, Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report tweets. The reason for that? The murky La’el Collins situation could vault him up the board. Here’s more draft news from Pompei..

The Titans have been doing a lot of talking, but as of this point the chances are very good they will stay put and take Marcus Mariota at No. 2 (link).
The Rams are a wildcard. They could move up for Amari Cooper and, if they don’t, they could drop back (link).
Iowa offensive lineman Brandon Scherff is hot with the Giants, Rams, Jets, Washington, and others potentially in play (link). If there’s a trade up made beyond the top five, it could be for him, Pompei reasons.
The Jets and Washington are the most likely trade-down candidates (link).
Meanwhile, the Falcons, Rams, Browns, and Eagles are the most likely to trade up (link).

Miller’s Latest: Cooper, Browns, Gurley

April 28th, 2015 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Matt Miller of Bleacher Report reported yesterday that while there are NFL teams interested in drafting Dorial Green-Beckham in the first round on Thursday, ownership has squashed those plans. In fact, a source from one team drafting in the top 15 tells Miller that ownership responded with a flat-out “no” when the topic of DGB in the first round was broached.

Miller has many more items in his latest piece at Bleacher Report, so let’s dive in and check out the highlights….

Raiders sources tell Miller that coaches in Oakland have “fallen in love” with Amari Cooper. The Alabama wideout, who has also been linked to the Jaguars at No. 3, could be the surprise pick over Leonard Williams if he’s available at No. 4.
The Browns like Marcus Mariota a lot, and Miller continues to hear that the team has interest in trading up to land him. Miller also hears that Cleveland has spoken to the Giants – drafting ninth overall – about a possible deal.
Browns sources don’t expect safety Tashaun Gipson to be on the roster in 2016. According to Miller, the belief is that he’ll price himself out of Cleveland’s range. Gipson is currently forgoing the Browns’ voluntary workouts, having not yet signed his RFA tender.
Todd Gurley‘s knee is looking better than anticipated, with one team source telling Miller the running back could play in Week 1 of the NFL season.
The Eagles are being connected to UCF wideout Breshad Perriman, according to several GMs who spoke to Miller.
Miller asked four different teams about Nebraska pass rusher Randy Gregory, and while none of those four clubs expect him to be selected within the top 10, they all believe he’s still a first-round player.
Oregon defensive lineman Arik Armstead has been the popular pick for the 49ers in mock drafts, and Miller hears that Armstead is indeed a Niners target at No. 15 if the club doesn’t trade up or down.
Chronic knee problems have resulted in a pair of guards – Florida State’s Tre‘ Jackson and Alabama’s Arie Kouandjio – failing physicals during the pre-draft process, sources tell Miller. Both players’ stocks figure to take a significant hit as a result of injury concerns.

Jaguars Eyeing Amari Cooper At No. 3?

April 28th, 2015 at 10:19am CST by Luke Adams

A year ago, the Jaguars surprised many NFL observers and fans by selecting Blake Bortles with the third overall pick. General manager David Caldwell reportedly withheld his strong interest in Bortles from his own staff until about a week before the draft, and at this time last year, it still seemed possible that the quarterback could slide to late in the first round.

One AFC personnel executive, who claims he identified Bortles as the Jags’ target prior to draft night last year, tells Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports that he believes Jacksonville is locked in on Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper this time around.

“I think the third spot could shock people [again],” the source said, discussing the Jaguars’ pick. “I think they like Cooper more than they are letting on. You hear things and they have been pretty good about what’s getting out there. It’s a lot like it was last year.”

The Jags, having selected two receivers early in last year’s draft, would seem to have greater needs at other positions. While Jacksonville certainly wants to give Bortles the weapons necessary to succeed, the team has Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson, and Allen Hurns under contract, and landed Julius Thomas in free agency this offseason. A defensive playmaker such as Dante Fowler Jr. or Leonard Williams would seem to be a better fit.

Nonetheless, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk is also hearing increased chatter that Cooper could be the Jags’ pick at No. 3. As Florio points out, there’s an outside chance that the Alabama wideout goes as high as second overall to the Titans, but if he’s available at No. 3, the Jags may pounce.

While selecting Cooper would raise some eyebrows around the league, Caldwell said recently that the team needs one difference-making player rather than two solid contributors, and the young receiver fits that bill. That also helps explain why the Jags haven’t yet received any calls about trading down, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter).

South Notes: Jaguars, Cooper, Falcons

April 27th, 2015 at 9:08pm CST by Zachary Links

A look at the AFC and NFC South..

Various sources who spoke to Peter King of TheMMQB.com named Amari Cooper, Dante Fowler Jr., and Leonard Williams as targets they’d heard “reliably” linked to the Jaguars at No. 3. For his part, King says he believes there are some within the organization who want Cooper and others who want Fowler. Considering Jacksonville barely conveyed any interest in top target Blake Bortles prior to last year’s draft, it wouldn’t surprise me if the team ends up making another unexpected pick this time around.
While lots of teams are looking into moving down, the Falcons are a team looking to move up, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter). Rival executives believe that their target is an impact defender.
D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution looked at Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff’s draft-day trading record. As the record shows, Dimitroff has been very busy in years past, including the 2011 blockbuster deal for Julio Jones.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Draft Notes: Williams, Fowler, DGB

April 27th, 2015 at 6:41pm CST by Zachary Links

There are only five can’t-miss players in the 2015 NFL Draft, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com writes. La Canfora writes that he initially set out to identify the top ten players in this crop, but one scout that he respect immensely insists that there’s an upper crust of five prospects, followed by a major drop off in talent between them and the next tier. Those five can’t miss prospects, execs tell La Canfora, are Leonard Williams, Dante Fowler Jr., Shane Ray, Kevin White, and Amari Cooper. Here’s more draft news..

Multiple coaches in the NFL are pushing to draft receiver Dorial Green-Beckham in the first round, but owners are not sold on him, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link). There are teams that could stretch for him in round one, but it’ll only happen in a case where the owner has a supreme level of trust in their coach. Miller speculates that the Ravens at No. 26 are the most likely to take DGB since GM Ozzie Newsome has so much trust from ownership. On the other hand, the Ray Rice situation might scare the Ravens away from taking someone with clear off-the-field issues.
NBC’s Cris Collinsworth told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that the wide receiver class this year features “up to eleven or 12, quality wise, who in any other year you would say, ‘That’s a first-round talent’.” That’s not to say that a dozen receivers will go in the first round, but there are a number of talented players at the position.
Northwestern safety Ibraheim Campbell told SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Twitter) that he had visits with the Colts, Buccaneers, Texans, Bears, and Patriots.