WR Amari Cooper (6.6.23)
Going up and getting that touchdown the way you did. Does that give you a little confidence that you’re where you want to be physically coming off that surgery?
Yeah, of course. Just to come out here and be able to feel good again. It’s a great feeling. You never really want to play hurt. It’s not very pleasant, but you’ve got to do what you got to do.
7 on 7s are all offense usually, you guys look like you did everything you wanted to?
You have no pass rush, really it’s like pitch and catch out there. I mean, obviously the DBs make plays sometimes, but it’s not a level playing field for them when we’re doing 7 on 7, so it should look like that every time.
Amari what were your thoughts on Deshaun saying last week that he would love for the team to add DeAndre Hopkins?
I didn’t see that, but who wouldn’t? DeAndre been a very great player in this league. Obviously, they have a lot of chemistry. If I was him, I’d want the same thing.
If adding DeAndre Hopkins would diminish your catch total. What would you feel about that?
If you add a great receiver like, that’s probably going to happen. There is only one ball. Everybody has got to get their touches, so as long as it’s helping us win, I wouldn’t have a problem with it.
Hey, Amari, obviously you guys have banked more reps with Deshaun. What was most noticeable to you and how different he is?
He looks In a bit of a better groove. Just having that long layoff, of course, you’re going to lose some rhythm, some form of rhythm, but he looks like he’s really getting that back.
Back to the wide receivers. Amari, like that room. Now you’ve seen them on the field. Just what’s your vibe on having Elijah here? Marquise. Obviously, you Donovan. David, just your vibe on that room overall?
Yeah, the vibe has been pretty good overall. I mean, even other position groups are seeing it. A lot of plays are being made out there coming from the receiver position so it looks good so far.
Amari, if the Browns do sign DeAndre and you were on the field at the same time, that’s a pretty darn formattable wide receiving court to have to go against.
Yeah. I mean, there’s more than one way to get a cat. I think our skill sets are a little different, but we will get the job done. With DeAndre., he’s pretty unstoppable with the way he uses his hands and his body to position himself well to make the catch, so it’ll be pretty good.
Amari, with the guys that you’ve added already, Elijah, Marquise, Cedric they all have something that maybe didn’t have the exact same thing here last year. Like just having those different kinds of guys with different skills so far. How much of a difference in the offense and in the past game, do you notice?
Yeah, I mean, more the merry, the more guys that can make plays, the more plays that are going to be made. It’s just that simple. I think that’s the philosophy behind it.
For you as a player what do you look for during minicamp to come out of it feeling good going into summer vacation?
The culture that we’re building, how we all interact with each other, locker room, how the vibe of the practice is going. Are we being disciplined enough to practice the right way just the little things like that.
From what you can tell right now, are you going to be 100% for the first contact practice of training Camp?
God willing.
How much did that injury affect you last year?
A lot down the stretch. Like I said before, it just wasn’t very pleasant to play through it, but it’s just a part of the game. But it definitely affected me.
Any issues in the rehab since you had that surgery in February?
Little things here and there, but nothing that was not expected.
Amari, when Deshaun talked to us last week, he talked about just overall feeling more comfortable in his second year. I guess do you guys feel that from him as receivers, that he’s settling in more.
Yeah, I mean, he made a throw today, right when he released it. I said, great throw. I didn’t even know it was a great throw, but I just felt that it was and it was right on the money.
Was the throw to you?
I was not to me, I wasn’t in. But yeah, he’s definitely getting more comfortable, like you said, getting his rhythm back. Looking like Deshaun.
Amari. Do you see some young guys out there, like, flocking to you kind of talking? Especially when you were a couple of weeks ago when you’re working to the side out there talking to guys, do you see that maybe increasing?
Yeah, we all communicate. That was our number one goal at the receiver position as a collective to communicate better with each other. But, yeah, they’ve definitely been asking questions. Shoot, I ask them questions I’m coming back off of injury and I often ask them how I’m looking on routes and stuff like that. Just better communication overall.
One of the stories last week of Amari was Marquise and just how fast he really still is. When you see him out there at, what, 31? I mean, that’s pretty impressive, isn’t it?
It’s very impressive. He’s doing something right. I’ve got to tap in with him. He doesn’t just look good, he looks like he feels good as well. So credit to him taking care of his body and being a pro.
What do you think that vertical threat will do for the rest of you guys?
It’s going to do a lot. I’m already seeing it. First of all, Deshaun loves throwing the vertical passes downfield, so I know he’s going to throw them. Goodwin, he isn’t just fast, but he’s a football player. He knows how to track the ball. He knows how to run those deep balls. I think it’s going to be phenomenal for us, for sure.
I know you guys are going to be thrown the ball more with Watson this season, but how many actual new plays are there?
Of course. You’ve got to be able to come up with new plays and new concepts. It’s a copycat league. The stuff that was working in the league ten years ago. You know, things catch on really fast, so you always have to be able to adapt. So, of course we’ve been adding new plays.
How about Elijah? What’s he bringing to the table? What does he add to the court for you guys?
He’s adding a lot. He’s another threat, another guy who can get open, create space, and make it easy for Deshaun. That’s what I’m saying, we’ve got a lot of threats in the receiver room now so we’ll see.
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