Amari Cooper was a good acquisition but he wasn’t the best

The Cleveland Browns had another great acquisition that truly tops the list.

The Cleveland Browns made a few moves this off-season you might have heard of. They made a few quieter ones that made sense and will help but aren’t game-changers. Yet, did they make a move that is the de-fact obvious pick for “Best Offseason acquisition”? I would argue, no, but CBS Sports (via Browns Wire) believes Amari Cooper is the best fit.

To be fair, there’s a case for Cooper. While I think he’s on the downswing of his career, I do think he’s also better than any receiver the Browns have had in years. We can haggle over the money portion of it, but talent to talent, is he better?

Yes, I think so. I just don’t think he’s the guy who’s going to provide the most impact. I think for that, you have to look on the other side of the ball.

Several Cleveland Browns defenders were the team’s best off-season move

See, I don’t think you can point to just one move. A football team is hardly just one player or one position. It’s a group sport inside a team sport. So while I do concede that Cooper may be the best new talent who will play in 2022, I also have to point out that receivers are seriously over-valued. They have short-shelf lives, they need another player to get them involved and the difference between elite and ver good isn’t that noticeable.

For me, the best upgrades to the team came with the focus on pass rushing. Namely the re-signing of Jadeveon Clowney, the trade for Chase Winovich, and the drafting of Perrion Winfrey would be the collective “best offseason acquisitions”.

See, the Browns’ pass rush, despite having Myles Garrett, was really bad in 2021; or at least really bad considering they have Garrett. There was a concerted effort by Browns GM Andrew Berry to put the Browns in a better place to get after the quarterback.

It’s too early to say the Browns improved the pass-rush, which can only be decided by the on-field play, but it’s not too early to say the Browns made some moves to hopefully do just that. That’s why the improved pass rush would be my pick for the best offseason acquisitions.