After undergoing core muscle surgery, Amari Cooper, the Cleveland Browns' WR1, missed some offseason work. Cooper also missed throwing sessions in Houston and Puerto Rico with quarterback Deshaun Watson.
However, Watson and Cooper have gotten work in post-June minicamp to work on their chemistry.
"Amari's going to be good," Watson told at the QB's inaugural high school 7-on-7 tournament on Tuesday. "He's a guy that's a vet, been in the league for a while, so he knows exactly what he needs to do to be ready for the season and training camp and our chemistry is going to be tight. We've been hanging out, we just going to continue to build that chemistry as much as possible."
Cooper generated 1,160 yards and nine touchdowns on 78 catches in his first year in Cleveland. In the six games Watson played in 2022, Cooper earned 21 catches for 368 yards and two TDs. He had just one game over the 75-yard mark in those six contests after generating six such instances in his first 11 games.
The Browns are counting on Watson returning to his Pro Bowl days after knocking the rust off. The addition of Elijah Moore to the WR corps provides another potential playmaker. Still, the connection between Watson and Cooper will ultimately determine how high Cleveland's passing offense can soar in 2023.