Amari Cooper brings proven production and experience to the Buffalo Bills wide receiver room

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — It was clear the Buffalo Bills needed to make a splash at wide receiver and on Tuesday afternoon general manager Brandon Beane pulled the trigger and traded for Amari Cooper.

Conversations with the Cleveland Browns started on Sunday after the Browns lost to the Philadelphia Eagles. By Monday morning, the two sides saw momentum building. Talks briefly paused as the Bills prepared for the New York Jets on Monday Night Football but on Tuesday negotiations continued and a deal was struck.

"It really was an opportunity to add a guy that adds experience and a proven skill-set to the group," Beane said. "I know he's going to work hard and Coach (Adam) Henry has coached him before and I think that helps the whole process and we'll see where that goes."

"I'm still taking it all in a little bit," Cooper said with a smile after his first full day with the Bills. "Getting traded in the middle of the season it's definitely a fast turnaround, so, I don't know if I've had enough time to really process it. But at the end of the day, it's just football."

In six games, the wide receivers on the Bills roster have combined for just 53 catches. The motto "everybody eats" made sense in theory, but the results have painted a different picture.

"I'm always looking," Beane said. "It doesn't mean I didn't like the group. I can't make a team like Cleveland do the deal. So if we didn't do this deal for him that doesn't mean I don't like the group."

As for Cooper, this deal has him rejuvenated about joining a team with big aspirations. After a slow start to the season in Cleveland he's excited for a new opportunity.

"You know, it's just that feeling of having a fresh beginning, a new start, a blank canvas where you get to control your destiny," Cooper said.

Cooper has proven he can be a productive wide receiver in the NFL. In his 11-year career, he has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards seven times and done it with three different teams. The Bills are hopeful he can do it with a fourth team this season.

But nothing is guaranteed. Cooper has to get up to speed with a new team and quarterback. Given his track record, it's a safe bet; it just may take some time.

"I like the fact that we got it done when we did as it relates to the trade deadline and this year we were able to get it done weeks before which is good," head coach Sean McDermott said. "We'll see how he goes this week and how we go and again, it's never about one person or one player it's about the team."

"When you've got a guy like him who is as good as he is it's not so much about the body language and getting on the same page, he's going to find ways to get open and I'm going to try and get him the ball," quarterback Josh Allen said. "It's not easy to come in and learn an offense, especially ours, but we're going to be working day and night and working extremely hard to do it."