Former All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams has been generating a lot of interest as a potential Trade target for the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, Adams isn’t the only wide receiver the Steelers might pursue. On October 2, ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler suggested Amari Cooper as another option if the Cleveland Browns make him available in a trade.
“If Cleveland continues to slide, Amari Cooper could be an attractive option because his contract restructure has him playing on a minimum base salary,” Fowler noted.
The biggest hurdle in a potential Cooper deal would be Cleveland’s reluctance to help a division rival like Pittsburgh.
“Cooper would be one to watch for Pittsburgh, though it’d be an in-division trade, and those are tough to execute,” Graziano added.
The last time the Steelers and Browns made a trade was in September 2017 when Pittsburgh sent wide receiver Sammie Coates and a 2019 seventh-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for a 2017 sixth-rounder.
Pittsburgh hasn’t completed any trades with AFC North teams since March 2020. At that time, the Steelers traded a 2021 fifth-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens for defensive lineman Chris Wormley and a 2021 seventh-round pick.
How Amari Cooper Could Fit With the Steelers
The Steelers have been linked to nearly every notable receiver rumored to be available in a trade since dealing Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers on March 12. While it’s difficult to envision Cooper landing in Pittsburgh, Graziano and Fowler raised it as a possibility.
Although Cooper has never made an All-Pro team, the 10-year veteran has been highly productive across three franchises. He’s a five-time Pro Bowler, earning at least one selection with each team he’s played for.
Last season, Cooper caught 72 passes for 1,250 yards and 5 touchdowns, earning his first Pro Bowl with the Browns.
In 2023, Cooper posted a career-high 17.4 yards per catch, a mark that’s unlikely to be repeated. Through four games this season, he’s averaged a career-low 9.3 yards per reception.
Still, Cooper would represent an upgrade over any Steelers receiver besides George Pickens. No Pittsburgh receiver other than Pickens is averaging at least two catches per game this season.
Cooper is averaging 4 catches per game this year, with 148 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns.
If the Steelers could negotiate a rare in-division trade for Cooper, he could serve as a possession receiver, complementing Pickens’ deep-threat ability. Pickens led the NFL in yards per catch last year.
This move would allow Pittsburgh’s other receivers, including Calvin Austin II, Van Jefferson, Roman Wilson, and Scotty Miller, to take on smaller roles behind Pickens and Cooper.
In his 10 NFL seasons, Cooper has amassed 683 receptions, 9,634 receiving yards, and 62 touchdowns.
Other Potential WR Trade Targets for the Steelers
Adams and Cooper may be the top options, but the Steelers could have additional choices over the next month.
On October 2, Graziano identified a few other possible targets for Pittsburgh.
“I would expect the Steelers to be in on Davante Adams, along with DeAndre Hopkins if he becomes available, and I do wonder about Christian Kirk in Jacksonville,” Graziano wrote.
Christian Kirk is the youngest of the four wide receivers ESPN linked to the Steelers, making him an interesting option. However, this could also raise his price in a potential trade, and Kirk isn’t as proven as the other names mentioned.
Like Adams, DeAndre Hopkins is a former three-time All-Pro. He’s also around the same age as Adams. However, Hopkins hasn’t made the Pro Bowl since 2020, which could make him a less attractive target. Last year, though, he posted 1,057 receiving yards and averaged 14.1 yards per catch.
The Steelers appear to have several options to strengthen their receiving corps. While negotiating with the Browns might be tricky, it’s not out of the realm of possibility, given Pittsburgh’s need for receiver depth.
