Bills' Amari Cooper Eyes Injury Return vs. Chiefs: 'Ready to Play Football Again'
November 14, 2024
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper, who has been out two weeks with a left wrist injury, is optimistic about his chances to return Sunday at home versus the Kansas City Chiefs.
"Yeah, I do," Cooper told reporters Thursday (h/t ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg) when asked if he thought he was trending toward playing.
"Definitely feeling better," Cooper added. "Definitely more comfortable. So, just ready to play football again."
Cooper suffered the injury during his team's 31-10 road win over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, Oct. 27. He's been limited at practice since the ailment and has been wearing a cast, per Getzenberg. However, Cooper notably caught passes from starting quarterback Josh Allen in a routes-on-air drill Thursday.
Cooper would keep the cast on if he's activated. He said that he doesn't experience pain when catching the ball but has to get used to doing so with a cast.
The Bills acquired the 10-year NFL veteran from the Cleveland Browns via trade prior to Week 7. The five-time Pro Bowler has 29 receptions for 319 yards and three touchdowns in eight games this season. For his career, the 30-year-old Cooper has 696 receptions, 9,805 receiving yards and 63 touchdowns.
The ex-Alabama star's potential return is a welcome sight for a team that remains without rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman, who has already been ruled out for Sunday's matchup with a wrist injury previously suffered on Nov. 3 against the Miami Dolphins. Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Coleman, who is not on injured reserve, is "improving" but not ready to come back.
This, of course, is also a massive game for the Bills. A win gives them a far greater chance to chase down the 9-0 Chiefs for the AFC's No. 1 seed, as Buffalo would be 9-2 with the head-to-head tiebreaker. A loss all but shuts that door, as the Bills would be three losses behind Kansas City without a chance to pass them on a two-way tie.
So getting Cooper back here would be a huge boost for a Bills team that could face a stiff test against a Chiefs team that's allowed the fifth-fewest points in the NFL. Kickoff on Sunday is set for 4:25 p.m. ET in Orchard Park, New York.
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