Amari Cooper Returns to Raiders; Las Vegas Adds QB Depth with Kenny Pickett Trade

In a pair of bold roster moves, the Las Vegas Raiders have significantly reshaped their offense ahead of the 2025 NFL season. The team has signed veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper to a one-year, $5 million contract and acquired quarterback Kenny Pickett from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round pick.

The signing of Amari Cooper marks a homecoming for the 31-year-old wideout, who was originally drafted by the Raiders with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft out of Alabama. Cooper spent the first three and a half seasons of his career with the Silver and Black before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys in 2018.

Since then, Cooper has taken a winding path through the league, including stints with the Cowboys, Browns, and most recently the Buffalo Bills. In 14 games last season split between Buffalo and Cleveland, Cooper recorded 44 receptions for 547 yards and four touchdowns. He now brings his career totals to 711 receptions, 10,033 yards, and 64 touchdowns making him one of the most productive receivers of his era.

The Raiders hope Cooper can bring veteran leadership and reliability to a receiving corps in transition. The signing comes the same day wide receiver Jakobi Meyers formally requested a trade after failing to reach terms on a new deal. Last season, only Meyers and second-year wideout Tre Tucker surpassed 500 receiving yards among Raider's receivers. Rookie tight end Brock Bowers led the team in nearly every major receiving category, including targets (153), receptions (112), yards (1,194), and touchdowns (5).

Cooper is expected to immediately slot in as a starting option for new starting quarterback Geno Smith, who joined the Raiders earlier this offseason.

Kenny Pickett Added After O’Connell Injury

Just hours after the Cooper signing, the Raiders addressed another pressing need by acquiring quarterback Kenny Pickett to back up Geno Smith. The move comes in response to the season-threatening wrist injury to backup QB Aidan O’Connell, who fractured his right wrist in the preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals. O’Connell is expected to miss 6–8 weeks and will likely be placed on injured reserve.

Raiders head coach Pete Carroll emphasized the importance of adding an experienced arm.

“A guy that's had game experience is huge to me,” Carroll said Sunday. “Cam [Miller] hasn't played in the league much, so we're looking for an experienced player that could help us.”

Pickett, 27, was a first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022 and has started 25 games in his career, compiling a 15-10 record. He has thrown for 4,765 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions with a 62.4% completion rate.

After two seasons in Pittsburgh, Pickett spent time with the Eagles and Browns but struggled with injuries and depth chart competition. A preseason hamstring injury kept him off the field for Cleveland this summer, and despite head coach Kevin Stefanski indicating Pickett would be ready for Week 1, the Browns opted to deal him to Las Vegas.

The double acquisition of Cooper and Pickett signals a serious effort by the Raiders to stabilize and strengthen their offense heading into the regular season. With Geno Smith under center, Cooper returning to his roots, and a dependable insurance policy in Pickett, the team appears to be shoring up its roster in hopes of contending in a competitive AFC West. Whether these moves will be enough to propel the Raiders into playoff contention remains to be seen but one thing is clear: Las Vegas isn’t standing still.