In an Amari Cooper-like move, the Browns trade their third-day pick for a $60 million wide receiver.
The Cleveland Browns pulled off an all-time heist by trading a fifth-round pick to the Dallas Cowboys for Amari Cooper, and the team has a chance to repeat the feat this offseason.
Financial realities force the Los Angeles Chargers to part ways with wide receiver Mike Williams, a former collegiate teammate of Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson at Clemson University.
On Wednesday, March 6, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com made the case for why Cleveland should send L.A. a late-round pick for the rights to a contract that the Chargers are eager to get rid of, while also drawing parallels to the Cooper trade two years ago.
If the Chargers cut or trade Williams, they will have $12.46 million in dead cap space, but a draft pick from the Browns would help offset that significant hit, making it a win-win situation. When the Browns traded for Cooper in 2022, the Cowboys wanted to unload his $20 million salary for 2022 and were willing to accept a fifth-round pick in exchange. Perhaps the Chargers would make a similar mid- to late-round selection.
The Browns then extended Cooper’s contract, reduced his $20 million base salary in 2022 to $1.12 million, added two void years, and paid him a large restructure bonus. Cooper has been one of the best receivers in the NFL over the last two seasons and one of Berry’s best acquisitions.
The Browns could do a similar restructuring with Williams, who is entering the final year of his contract with a base salary of $17 million.
