There are two sides to every coin.
On one side of the Browns’ preseason coin is wide receiver Amari Cooper, a holdout from the mandatory minicamp last week as he seeks a contract extension beyond this season.
The opposite side of the proverbial coin is the Browns organization and what is best for the organization.
Analyst Jason Lloyd suggested re-signing Cooper to a long-term extension is not what’s best for Cleveland’s football organization.
The “Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show” shared on Twitter a video with Lloyd’s take on the Cooper holdout situation, and the analyst suggested the Browns should not rush to extend Cooper beyond the 2025 season.
“From the Browns’ perspective, I’m not investing big-time money in a guy that I know that the cliff is coming,” Lloyd said.
.@ByJasonLloyd said if he were the #Browns, he would not be in a hurry to pay Amari Cooper | https://t.co/PB9jYNZVcw pic.twitter.com/eZzDS8xUOL
— Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show (@ultCLEsports) June 18, 2024
The Browns have been in a similar situation before, Lloyd explained.
When Cleveland extended Jack Conklin in 2022, the team signed the veteran right tackle to a four-year deal that runs through 2026.
Lloyd believes the Browns regret that extension, and he added the team should be hesitant to extend a veteran over 30 to a multiyear deal again.
“You know it’s a risk, and they sorta got burned by it,” Lloyd said of Conklin’s deal.
Lloyd also acknowledged Cooper’s side in this situation.
The analyst said Cooper knows that there are not many more years left for him in the NFL, and this extension represents his best chance to land a multiyear deal.
Lloyd also explained Cooper’s timing could not have been better for him as the receiver is coming off one of his best seasons as a professional, catching 72 passes for 1,250 yards in 2023.
NEXT: Amari Cooper Trade Value Too Low For Browns