Amari Cooper revealed Tuesday on the second day of the Browns' offseason program that he received surgery on a core muscle injury he dealt with in the final month of the 2022 season.
Cooper, who led the Browns with 1,160 receiving yards and captured his sixth 1,000-yard season of his career, has progressed smoothly after receiving the surgery in February and is ready to help the Browns get better in the offseason program.
"The recovery went well," he said. "I'm on the eighth week of it now, so I feel good. I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be."
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Browns players arrived at the facility Monday morning for the start of offseason workouts
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Wide receiver Jakeem Grant (9) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Linebacker Tony Fields II (42) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Defensive end Alex Wright arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Tight end David Njoku (85) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Defensive tackle Roderick Perry II (64) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Wide Receiver David Bell (18) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Wide Receiver Amari Cooper (2) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Kicker Cade York (3), Punter Corey Bojorquez (13) and Long snapper Charley Hughlett (47) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Offensive tackle James Hudson III (66) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Linebacker Jacob Phillips (50) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk (51) and Running back John Kelly Jr. (41) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Quarterback Josh Dobbs arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Safety Bubba Bolden (36), Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) and Wide receiver Mike Harley Jr. (82) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Wide Receiver Daylen Baldwin (17) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Defensive tackle Tommy Togiai (93) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden (83) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Wide Receiver Marquez Stevenson (15) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Offensive guard Wes Martin arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Safety D'Anthony Bell (37) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Safety Juan Thornhill arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Linebacker Matthew Adams arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Center Ethan Pocic (55) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Wide receiver Jakeem Grant (9) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Guard Dawson Deaton (52) arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
Defensive tackle Maurice Hurst Jr. arrives for the start of offseason workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 17, 2023.
That's good news for the Browns' offense, which is set to again rely on Cooper as their No. 1 receiver in the first full season of having Deshaun Watson at QB. The duo was rather inconsistent when Watson returned from an 11-game suspension in Week 12 — Cooper topped 100 receiving yards just once after doing it four times prior to Watson's debut — although it's worth noting Cooper suffered his injury the week after Watson returned.
Cooper didn't miss a game while injured but only caught two touchdowns from Watson in their six games together. Both of them were caught in Week 17 against the Commanders.
Cooper believes the offseason program will provide a valuable time for them to continue strengthening their chemistry.
"That's why we're here — to get it better," he said. "We didn't get to work out a lot with each other this offseason because of the surgery, so that's why we're both here so we can build more chemistry and get better."
Head coach Kevin Stefanski said the Browns will be patient with Cooper during offseason workouts, which won't include on-field drills until Phase Two of the offseason program begins in two weeks.
"We'll take it slow with him," he said. "He's feeling good. I'm not on the field with those guys for another couple weeks. OTAs aren't until May. We will not rush him back on the field. We'll utilize all these days to get his body and mind right, but when that is, I can't say."
