Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper has been one of the better up-and-coming wideouts in the league the past two seasons. Finishing with 70 plus catches and 1000 plus yards to end both the 2015 and 2016 NFL campaigns, it seemed Cooper’s trajectory as a talent would only trend upwards prior to the 2017 NFL season.
Through three weeks, Cooper has not performed to the expectations of most fans. By this time last year, Cooper had already amassed 270 yards off 15 receptions. Now, entering the Raiders’ Week 4 matchup against the Denver Broncos, Cooper sits at 10 receptions for just 101 yards.
According to Jerry McDonald of Mercury News, Cooper seems to know where his struggles may be stemming from:
Most of the balls that I’ve dropped have been from the result of trying to run before I actually catch the ball,” Cooper said Wednesday.
While the looks have been there for him, he has not made the best of his opportunities as he currently sits atop the league in drops. There is still plenty of time left for Cooper to turn things around, but this is easily the slowest start to a season the young receiver has had in his short career.
Cooper has all the tools to break out this year and continue his rise as one of the best receivers in the league. Look for him to rebound after his poor Week 3 outing against the Washington Redskins.
