Amari Cooper is happy to be back on a football field for his third season as a Cleveland Brown.
"It's been nothing but success here in terms of what I've been able to do on the field," Cooper said. "I like to get better each and every year while I'm here. I'm really the type of guy that takes heed to old sayings, you know, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it.' So, I'm not really trying to go somewhere else. The grass isn't always greener on the other side, so I'd rather stay where I'm thriving."
Head coach Kevin Stefanski agrees.
"He's a very productive player, and (general manager) Andrew (Berry) has talked about this before as well, but Amari really fits in with who we are," Stefanski said after the first day of training camp on July 25. "He works very, very hard, doesn't say much. Kind of keeps the focus on the football field. Practices hard, doesn't miss games. We as an offensive staff love moving Amari around, finding different ways to get him the football. So, we're very excited that he's here."
Check out photos of the team conducting their first walk-thru at the Greenbrier before Training Camp
Wide Receiver Amari Cooper (2) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Running Backs Coach Duce Staley during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Ahmarean Brown (87) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Wide receiver James Proche II (11) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Defensive tackle Chris Williams (98) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Punter Corey Bojorquez (13) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Linebackers Coach Jason Tarver and Safeties Coach Ephraim Banda during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Director of Strength and Conditioning Larry Jackson during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Tight end Jordan Akins (88) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Running Backs Coach Duce Staley during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Wide receiver James Proche II (11) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Greenbrier Branding during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Defensive Line Coach Jacques Cesaire during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Safety Juan Thornhill (1) and Safeties Coach Ephraim Banda during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Cornerbacks Coach Brandon Lynch during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Quarterback Tyler Huntley (10) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Safeties Coach Ephraim Banda during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) and the defensive line during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Pass Game Specialist/Tight Ends Coach Tommy Rees during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Tight end Treyton Welch (82) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
The team during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
General Manager Andrew Berry during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Coaching Consultant Mike Vrabel during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Linebacker Tony Fields II (42) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Greenbrier branding during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) and the offense during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Ahmarean Brown (87) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Linebacker Charlie Thomas III (35) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Tight end Treyton Welch (82) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Pass Game Specialist/Tight Ends Coach Tommy Rees during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Offensive tackle Dawand Jones (79) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Running Backs Coach Duce Staley during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Ahmarean Brown (87) during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Offensive Line Coach Andy Dickerson during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
General Manager Andrew Berry and Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Offensive Assistant/Run Game Specialist Nick Charlton during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Director of Player Personnel Dan Saganey during a walk-thru at The Greenbrier on July 25, 2024.
Since Cooper landed in Cleveland, the receiver and QB Deshaun Watson have been an electric duo, accounting for 51 catches for 870 yards and four touchdowns in their 12 games together. Cooper said that he has kept in touch with Watson throughout the offseason.
"I always keep in contact with all my quarterbacks," Cooper said. "I make sure I stay in touch with him, ask him how he's doing and stuff like that."
Cooper added that he appreciated Watson's comments that he made earlier this summer, in which the quarterback called Cooper one of the best receivers in the league.
"That was great to hear from my quarterback, obviously you want to hear those types of words coming from the guy who's throwing you the ball," Cooper said. "And we're here at training camp and we can go out there this year, starting with training camp, and go out there and prove that we're the best together."
A critical figure in the connection between the quarterback and receiver this year will be offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, who the Browns hired in the offseason. The five-time Pro Bowler expressed his longtime admiration for Dorsey – who starred at Cooper's hometown Miami Hurricanes.
"I've been following [Dorsey] since I was a little kid because he played for the U," Cooper said. "So, I've been a fan for a long time."
While Cooper was away from the team during the Browns' mandatory minicamp, he said he was still able to review the Browns' offensive installation as he prepared for the season.
"We get the installations sent to our phones," Cooper said. "So, I've been able to look over all the plays while I wasn't there."
Cooper, fresh off a campaign in which he became the first Browns wide receiver to record consecutive seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards, said he was excited about Dorsey's influence on the playbook, which is designed to lead to more scoring opportunities.
"The things that sticks out is the amount of plays that he wants to get ran," Cooper said. "You saw it with the Buffalo Bills, there's an emphasis on scoring every single drive, whether it's a field goal or a touchdown. And I think his whole philosophy is that the more plays you run, the more chances you get at scoring points."
Dorsey wasn't the only addition the Browns made offensively in the offseason, as they traded for WR Jerry Jeudy, a fellow former Alabama standout and Florida native.
"It's definitely a phenomenal thing that we have all the Florida receivers out here," Cooper said, referencing Ahmarean Brown, Matt Landers, Elijah Moore and Jeudy. "We're all cut from the same cloth I would say. We're all South Florida guys, we're all really good route runners, we've all been playing football since a very young age, have been running routes since a very young age. So, we kind of have a natural feel for the position. And I think we'll definitely feed off each other in a good way and there could definitely be some fireworks out there this year."
With a young receiving corps, leadership is vital. Stefanski praised Cooper for his role as a mentor for the younger pass catchers on the roster.
"Amari is the OG when it comes to wide receivers," Stefanski said. "They all look up to him. They all respect him. When he speaks, everybody listens. They watch how he works. He doesn't have to say much, but the way he works really factors into our young guys."
