BREAKING NEWS : Cleveland Browns set deadline to resolve contract  disagreement with Amari Cooper before training camp starts.

The Cleveland Browns aim to resolve their contract dispute with Amari Cooper before training camp starts.

The Browns’ No. 1 wide receiver missed all of OTAs and the required minicamp. He was fined $101,716 for skipping minicamp, but he made it plain to Cleveland’s front management that he wants a new contract.

The Browns do not want Cooper to lose any more time and have been negotiating with the 30-year-old receiver, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “The Browns hope to reach a contract agreement with Cooper before the start of camp next week so he doesn’t have to miss a beat,” Cabot told reporters on July 20. “The two sides have been in contact and are attempting to create an agreement Cooper feels happy about heading.

into his third season here. He’s set to make $20 million this season in the final year of his contract, and wants to be closer to his elite peers, who are now making anywhere from about $24 million a year to $35 million, with four of them north of $30 million.” Cooper has a lot of leverage in negotiations coming off a Pro Bowl season. He caught 72 passes for 1,250 yards and five touchdowns. He’s also the unquestioned No. 1 in Cleveland. The Browns want to keep him happy and ready to roll for a season full of expectations for Cleveland.

Deshaun Watson has backed Amari Cooper. Amid Holdout
Deshaun Watson will benefit significantly from Cooper’s presence. The Browns quarterback is recovering from shoulder surgery and needs his top weapon on the field.

Watson has often expressed support for Cooper throughout his holdout this offseason. “He’s the best in the game, and I believe that,” Watson told reporters in June. “He demonstrates it each and every year. He demonstrated that the past two years with several quarterbacks. So I believe you have to put him up there, if not the best.”

Watson has lately stated that he does not believe Cooper has lost a beat despite his holdout. “The connection’s been awesome,” Watson told Cleveland.com. “Me and Amari, even with the other guys, he hasn’t lost a beat. Amari has always been there. We know what he can do. He’s demonstrated that. He’s demonstrated that during the offseason. “The brotherhood, the love, the communication—none of that has missed a beat.” Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson Healthy Heading Into Camp
The Browns need Watson to have a great year. Cleveland traded for him in 2022, giving up three first-round selections in exchange for a $230 million contract with full guarantees. So far, Watson has appeared in 12 games, with mixed success. He’s thrown for 2,217 yards, 14 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. There are concerns about his health ahead of camp, which begins on July 23. During his rehabilitation, Watson has made the most of his time away from football. “It has been a blessing. “Being able to sit back and reflect on everything that has happened,” Watson told Scott Petrak. “To be able to start from scratch, lay that foundation. I do not become frustrated or anything like that. There are other things in life that might be frustrating. It is a blessing to be able to continue playing football while having people rooting for your success.

“For me to even be back throwing the football is my top point that I’ve been locked in with.”

The Browns aim to have Watson and Cooper ready to play on September 8 against the Dallas Cowboys.