Amari Cooper retired: Jakobi Meyers' fantasy stocks boost after trade talks, Geno Smith likely to suffer

Amari Cooper informed the Las Vegas Raiders that he has decided to retire after 10 seasons. Jakobi Meyers' boosted after the announcement.

Updated on: Sep 5, 2025, 24:43:27 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Amari Cooper informed the Las Vegas Raiders that he has decided to retire after 10 seasons, NFL Network reported on Thursday. The five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver's decision comes only days after he signed with the Raiders, the team that drafted him back in 2015.

Amari Cooper has decided to retire from the NFL after 10 years (X)

Only last week, Cooper told reporters, “Trust me, I still have some juice left.” The 31-year-old played for the then-Oakland Raiders from 2015-18 before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys. He also joined the Buffalo Bills and the Cleveland Browns before returning to Las Vegas. He had 44 receptions for 547 yards and four touchdowns last season in 14 games with the Browns and Bills.

Cooper totaled 711 catches for 10,033 yards and 64 touchdowns in 154 career games (143 starts).

Amari Cooper's retirement will likely improve Jakobi Meyers' fantasy outlook. The 28-year-old, now leader of the Raiders WR pack, said on Wednesday that he dropped his trade request and will play for his teammates.

"I asked, they said no," Meyers said. "That's where that stopped. I mean, I'm just going to keep doing my job until something shakes out either way, honestly. I don't know which way it's going to go, but I'll be ready for whatever."

Meyers added, "I ain't tripping," and admitted he didn't know if the Raiders would extend a new contract offer.

"But you've got to find a way to separate yourself from all the business," he said, adding he was hopeful the Raiders would agree that he proved his worth last season. "I thought they would see it that way -- they don't."

Meyers became the Raiders' No 1 after the 2024 trade of Davante Adams. However, Amari Cooper's addition meant a demotion for the 28-year-old. But, now that his senior has retired, Meyers' fantasy stocks will boost.

Meanwhile, quarterback Geno Smith loses a potentially threatening weapon in Cooper.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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