The Amari Cooper trade saga has finally reached its conclusion following the 2026 NFL Draft, giving us the perfect opportunity to break down exactly what the Buffalo Bills gave up—and what they got in return.

Back at the 2024 trade deadline, the Bills made a bold move to acquire the five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver from the Cleveland Browns. It felt like a blockbuster at the time, but looking back, the deal didn't quite deliver the fireworks fans hoped for.

Cooper's stint in Buffalo was brief—just eight regular-season games. He caught 20 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns, showing flashes of his elite route-running but never fully clicking with the offense. In three playoff games, he added only six catches for 41 yards. When his contract expired, Cooper retired after signing with the Las Vegas Raiders, leaving Buffalo without the long-term impact they envisioned.

So, what was the final price tag? Here's the full breakdown:

The Browns received: A 2025 third-round pick (No. 94 overall) and a 2026 seventh-round pick (No. 242).
The Bills received: Amari Cooper and a 2025 sixth-round pick.

But the trade tree didn't stop there. Buffalo flipped that sixth-round pick—along with cornerback Kaiir Elam—to the Dallas Cowboys for a fifth-rounder (No. 170). The Bills used that selection to draft cornerback Jordan Hancock, adding depth to their secondary.

Meanwhile, Cleveland used their third-round pick on Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, a potential franchise signal-caller who now faces an uncertain future under a new coaching regime. The seventh-round pick changed hands multiple times: the Browns traded it to the New York Jets in August 2025 as part of a deal for defensive tackle Jowon Briggs, then later sent the acquired pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ultimately, the Seattle Seahawks used that pick on defensive tackle Deven Eastern.

When you step back and look at the full picture, both teams ended up with modest returns. The Bills got a half-season of solid—but not spectacular—production from Cooper and a depth cornerback. The Browns landed a quarterback project and some draft capital shuffling.

Perhaps the most intriguing "what if" for Buffalo? Safety Xavier Watts went just a few picks after Cleveland selected Gabriel. Watts would have looked sharp alongside Cole Bishop in the Bills' secondary—a reminder that sometimes, the best trades are the ones you don't make.