Browns make anticipated decision with five-time Pro Bowler right before hosting Bengals in Week 7
The Cincinnati Bengals are set to defend a different-looking offense on Sunday when facing the Cleveland Browns. Not only is All-Pro running back Nick Chubb set to make his season debut, the Browns are trading away wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills, per NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. Cooper has been the center of […]
The Cincinnati Bengals are set to defend a different-looking offense on Sunday when facing the Cleveland Browns.
Not only is All-Pro running back Nick Chubb set to make his season debut, the Browns are trading away wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills, per NFL Media's Ian Rapoport.
Cooper has been the center of trade rumors for weeks now, and the Kansas City Chiefs were thought to be a likely landing spot for the former fourth-overall pick. Cleveland opted to move their No. 1 receiver and a sixth-round pick to Buffalo in exchange for a third-round pick and a future seventh-rounder to boot.
While the Browns' offense has been terrible this season, Cooper had been doing his best leading the receiving corps. His 53 targets, 24 receptions, 250 yards, and two touchdowns through six games led Cleveland's offense that ranks 31st in EPA/dropback and 32nd in passing success rate.
The player responsible for throwing the ball to Cooper, quarterback Deshaun Watson, is the obvious problem with the offense, but head coach Kevin Stefanski made it clear this week that Watson will continue to start, setting up his third-ever matchup against Cincinnati in a Browns uniform.
The Browns are not in a good spot right now as they look towards the future while still playing the PR game by starting a terrible quarterback. Cooper was on an expiring contract and wasn't expected to be re-signed next year.
"Cleveland getting a third-round pick back for a player who was not scheduled to be with the team after this season is a win. It visibly was not working out on the field and the Browns losing has pushed them into being sellers at the trade deadline." – A to Z Sports Cleveland's Brandon Little
None of that concerns the Bengals as they now have the luxury of facing that offense without its top passing target. Expect Jerry Jeudy to emerge as the top wideout for Cleveland this week, as well as Chubb getting back into the mix in the run game.
Zac Taylor affirms Bengals will focus on correcting a surprising new issue on offense
Protecting the ball is a top priority for Cincinnati this week.
