It's hard to believe Amari Cooper is already entering his 11th season in the NFL. It might be even harder to believe this is the first time he's ever changed teams in free agency, and the fact that he's returning to his first NFL squad after remaining on the open market until the verge of Week 1.
Cooper spent the few seasons of his career with the Raiders from 2015-18, and while the team was still in Oakland then, the wide receiver is now heading for a reunion with the squad in Las Vegas, per Adam Schefter. From a 2018 trade from the Raiders that landed him in Dallas, to a trade to Cleveland, to a mid-year move to Buffalo in 2024, moving cities has simply become part of the routine for the former No. 4 pick, and Cooper's now heading back to his first squad.
After remaining a free agent through the entirety of training camp and the preseason, Cooper finally has a home for 2025. He'll be seeking to bounce back from a tough 2024 campaign as yet another new addition for the Raiders.
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Here are the details on Cooper's deal with the Raiders and more.
MORE: The Sporting News' 2025 All-Preseason NFL Team
Amari Cooper contract details
- Team: Raiders
- Years: 1
- Value: $3.5 million
Cooper agreed to a one-year contract with the Raiders on Monday, with the NFL roster cuts deadline looming and Las Vegas being just days away from a Week 1 matchup against the Patriots.
The deal also comes at a particularly interesting time for Las Vegas' wide receiver room. On Monday, multiple reports indicated that top receiver Jakobi Meyers recently requested a trade from the Raiders, seeking a new contract that he and the team could not agree on. Whether Meyers will be dealt remains to be seen, but the addition of Cooper brings veteran insurance behind Meyers either way.
Cooper's deal will reportedly be for just the 2025 season. Ian Rapoport reported that the contract's base value will be $3.5 million, but there's also room for it to grow, as it includes $500,000 in per-game roster bonuses and $2 million more in incentives. In total, Cooper's contract could be worth up to $6 million.
Las Vegas brought in a ton of new faces this offseason in head coach Pete Carroll, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, quarterback Geno Smith and running back Ashton Jeanty, and now, Cooper both reunites with his first NFL team and signifies another new addition to the team's offense.
Cooper has spent some of the best years of his career with the Raiders, being drafted fourth overall by the squad in 2015 before notching two 1,000-yard seasons in his first three-and-a-half-year stint with the team.
MORE: Tracking the most notable cuts from NFL preseason
Amari Cooper age
Cooper turned 31 in June, so he could still have a handful of productive years left in the tank despite remaining on the open market for months.
The five-time Pro-Bowler was just 20 when he heard his name called at the 2015 NFL Draft as a selection by the Raiders, which is why he still might seem so young for someone who has been in the league for so long.
In 2025, Cooper will be looking to prove his age wasn't the reason he took a step back last season. With just 547 yards on 44 catches after a terrific 1,250-yard campaign in 2023, Cooper couldn't get it going when he moved from a poor offensive situation in Cleveland to a more high-octane offense in Buffalo.
Cooper hit similar bumps in his first stint with the Raiders and then the Cowboys, but he bounced back each time. If he can bounce back in 2025 as a weapon alongside Jeanty, Meyers, and Brock Bowers, Las Vegas should get great value out of the deal.
MORE: How Jets RB depth chart is shaping out ahead of the season
Amari Cooper stats
| Season | Team | Games | Rec. | Yards | TD | Y/R |
| 2015 | Raiders | 16 | 72 | 1,070 | 6 | 14.9 |
| 2016 | Raiders | 16 | 83 | 1,153 | 5 | 13.9 |
| 2017 | Raiders | 14 | 48 | 680 | 7 | 14.2 |
| 2018 | OAK/DAL | 15 | 75 | 1,005 | 7 | 13.4 |
| 2019 | Cowboys | 16 | 79 | 1,189 | 8 | 15.1 |
| 2020 | Cowboys | 16 | 92 | 1,114 | 5 | 12.1 |
| 2021 | Cowboys | 15 | 68 | 865 | 8 | 12.7 |
| 2022 | Browns | 17 | 78 | 1,160 | 9 | 14.9 |
| 2023 | Browns | 15 | 72 | 1,250 | 5 | 17.4 |
| 2024 | CLE/BUF | 14 | 44 | 547 | 4 | 12.4 |
| Career | 154 | 711 | 10,033 | 64 | 14.1 |
Cooper posted a career-low 44 catches and 547 yards between the Browns and Bills in 2024, coming in at less than half of his 2023 yardage total.
Still, he's bounced back at multiple points earlier in his career and has more than 10,000 yards to his name along with 64 touchdowns.
MORE: Details on Trey Hendrickson's contract to stay with Bengals
Amari Cooper career earnings
Cooper has earned $136.7 million through NFL contracts through 10 seasons. He's set to make at least an additional $3.5 million with his latest deal.
Cooper first cashed in when he re-signed with the Cowboys on a five-year, $100 million deal in 2020. He played out the entire duration of the contract, albeit with three different teams.
Raiders WR depth chart
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Jakobi Meyers |
| 2 | Amari Cooper |
| 3 | Tre Tucker |
| 4 | Dont'e Thornton Jr. |
| 5 | Jack Bech |
| 6 | Alex Bachman |
Meyers' status is a bit up in the air, as he reportedly requested a trade from Las Vegas recently. The Raiders may ignore that request, resulting in Meyers suiting up for the 2025 season with no issues, but if he is traded, there's a real chance Cooper winds up becoming the team's top wide receiver.
Having a star at tight end in Brock Bowers is also valuable, but for now, Meyers projects to be the Raiders' leading receiver in 2025. He had his first career 1,000-yard season in 2024, adding in four touchdowns, and those numbers could easily go up in 2025 with a quarterback upgrade in Geno Smith.
Cooper's background makes him an easy candidate to start in Las Vegas though. As long as he can get up to speed quick in the offense, that should be the case. He'll give Smith a reliable second receiving option and an added red zone threat.
Tre Tucker's role sees a small hit with the Cooper addition, as he'll see less opportunity this season with a veteran now in the mix. Tucker did have a solid 539 yards in 2024, so if Cooper's unable to get a rhythm going with his new team, the third-year receiver could move back up on the depth chart.
The two rookies Thornton Jr. and Bech, as well as second-year pro Bachman, will have tougher paths to consistent playing time with the addition of Cooper. Youth will be valuable for the Raiders, but Cooper's track record should make him a better option than any of those three players for now.