Top Browns WR Expected to Miss Steelers Game

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper, who was officially listed by the team as questionable for Monday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, is not expeted to play, according to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Cooper was limited by a groin injury at practice on Saturday and was officially listed as questionable, but will now apparently be sidelined. Slot receiver Elijah Moore and backups David Bell and Marquise Goodwin are candidates to replace Cooper in the starting lineup.

The Browns frequently play with two tight ends, with Harrison Bryant joining David Njoku on the field. They will likely do so even more often without Cooper, their No. 1 receiver, avaialable.

Cooper had three catches of seven targets for 37 yards in the opener. Two of his three catches went for first downs.

Last season, he had 132 targets, by far the most on the team, and also led the club in catches (78), yards (1,160), yards per reception (14.9), receiving touchdowns (nine) and first down receptions (61.)

Cooper joined the Browns in March 2022, coming over in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a pair of draft picks. He will count for $23.8 million against Cleveland’s salary cap this season and is under contract through the end of the 2024 season.

Now both the Steelers and the Browns will be missing their top receiver for the game, as Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin has already announced that Diontae Johnson will miss the game as part of an expected multi-week absence due to a hamstring injury suffered in the opener against San Francisco.