Browns’ Cooper ready to return from heel injury

BEREA, Ohio — The last time the Texans faced Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper, they couldn’t stop him. In Saturday’s wild-card weekend rematch from last month, the Texans will have to face Cooper again.

The five-time Pro Bowl selection confirmed Wednesday he’s ready to play after sitting the past two games with a heel injury. Cooper said he could’ve played in Sunday’s game against the Bengals, but the Browns rested most of their starters with the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs already clinched.

“It’s getting better every day,” Cooper said Wednesday of the heel. “I’m running around now. Just a typical injury that you have to work through.”

On Dec. 24, in Cleveland’s 36-22 victory over the Texans, Cooper set a Browns record with 265 receiving yards. He also had 11 receptions and two touchdowns.

In that game, the Texans played zone coverage almost 87% of time, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, which Browns quarterback Joe Flacco exploited with several big throws to Cooper.

Cooper said he doesn’t know how the Texans might change up their defense for the rematch. But he does expect Houston to defend him differently.

“They’re not really a man [coverage] team, so I think the chances of them using a player to shadow me is a little bit less than what it would be if they were a man team,” Cooper said. “But you never know. For the playoffs, teams [are] willing to do whatever they have to do to win. So, we’ll just see.”

Cooper was recently named to his fifth Pro Bowl overall and his first since being traded to the Browns in 2022. He has 72 receptions this season and a career-high 1,250 receiving yards.

The Browns are in the playoffs for only the third time since returning to the NFL in 1999.

Advertisement