Late Friday night, reports from San Francisco claimed that the 49ers and the Cleveland Browns had the framework for a trade in place to swap wide receivers.
San Francisco would acquire veteran receiver Amari Cooper and a draft pick in exchange for wideout Brandon Aiyuk.
The reported holdup on the deal is Aiyuk’s contract extension and his preference for franchises where he wanted the 49ers to execute the trade.
Hours after the trade rumors surfaced, Cooper shared on his Instagram story an encrypted message seemingly aimed at the news as he noted that he “wouldn’t mind at all” a trade that would move him to San Francisco.
While observers of the situation believe Cooper is likely upset with the news, analyst Adam “The Bull” Gerstenhaber has a different take on the situation.
Gerstenhaber took to Twitter to share his thoughts and explained that Browns GM Andrew Berry is not at fault for any upset feelings – if any – Cooper might harbor over the situation.
“Can’t blame Andre (sic) Berry for trying to improve the team,” Gerstenhaber wrote, adding “Amari Cooper is a pro, I doubt he is really pissed at the team but even if he is it will have zero effect on how he plays.”
Cant blame Andre Berry for trying to improve the team. Amari Cooper is a pro, I doubt he is really pissed at the team but even if he is it will have zero effect on how he plays. This is a big nothing burger.
— Adam the Bull (@adamthebull) August 10, 2024
Gerstenhaber’s take is that the NFL is a business, and Cooper understands this after his actions earlier this offseason.
Berry has been an aggressive GM throughout his tenure with the Browns, signing contracts that seem to get ahead of the market’s rising prices.
This trade – if it were to occur – would be another example of Berry trying to beat the market and get a young talent for a discounted price.
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