AFC Notes: Amari Cooper, Davante Adams, Browns, Jets, Raiders

Browns

After a 1-5 start, the Browns sent WR Amari Cooper to Buffalo partly because of his expiring contract. Cleveland DE Za’Darius Smith was asked about the rumors of him being the next veteran traded but shifted the focus to the front office.

“You know what, that’s not my decision. That’s all upstairs,” Smith said, via Scott Petrak of BrownsZone.com. “I would rather you ask them to see what that would be.”

• Browns OL Michael Dunn was fined $7,181 for Unnecessary Roughness (facemask), and LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was fined $20,900 for Unnecessary Roughness (use of the helmet) in Week 6.

Jets

Jets WR Davante Adams is excited about reuniting with QB Aaron Rodgers and believes a trade from Las Vegas benefited both sides.

“It’s been a roller coaster, for sure,” Adams said, via ESPN. “It’s a weird thing to say that I’m happy, but, obviously, it was time for a change. This whole thing kind of transpired a little weird, but at the end of the day, we’re in a better place. I think that the Raiders are in a better place as well, and everybody can kind of move on.”

Rodgers is already working with Adams, who will make his debut Sunday night agains the Steelers, on the team’s playbook and hand-calling systems.

“Obviously, having him as my quarterback again, he’s part of why I am who I am, and why I turned into the player I am,” Adams said.

Adams hopes to remain in New York beyond the 2024 season and said he’s open to signing another contract with the team.

“I mean, I hope so. That’s the plan,” Adams said. “I mean, I want to be here. I never go somewhere in hopes of having to find a new home, so that’s the hope.” 

Adams said he ultimately didn’t believe that he was able to make an impact on every game during his time in Las Vegas.

“[People] see a trade demand and they just think, ‘He wants out, he’s quitting on the team,’ when it’s more about just being able to feel like I can — I don’t want that helpless feeling,” Adams said. “… Not every game’s going to be a 100-yard game or 150-, 200-yard game, but I want to feel like I can impact the game every time I touch the field.”

• According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, the Jets lowered WR Davante Adams‘ cap hit for 2024 by $8 million by converting $10.45 million of existing base salary into a signing bonus and adding two boid years. 
• Cimini adds Adams’ salaries in 2025 and 2026 of $35.6 million per year remain untouched.

Raiders

The Raiders sent WR Davante Adams to the Jets after a strained relationship that worsened as time went on. Las Vegas HC Antonio Pierce talked about how they plan to move on without Adams. 

“Next man up, move on,” Pierce said, via ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez. “He was out for the last [three] weeks, so we’re fine. … That’s how we’ve been really operating the last couple weeks.

“You never replace an All-Pro receiver like Davante. But at the end of the day, we’re not trying to. We’re trying to be the best versions of ourselves.”

Raiders first-round TE Brock Bowers admitted how different it will be without Adams but expressed his belief that they have the pieces to get it done. 

“Just missing that piece,” Bowers added. “But we’ve got other dudes here that are going to pull through, hopefully. And we’ve got to get healed up a little bit with Jakobi and stuff, and we’re on the right track.”