AFC West Rival Listed as Destination for Raiders' Former No. 4 Overall Pick
The Raiders have been largely plagued by poor decisions in the NFL Draft over the last two decades. This is part of the reason that the franchise has only made it to the postseason twice and not won a playoff game since the 2002 season.
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One major success in the draft, however, was when the Silver and Black selected Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper with the No. 4 overall pick in 2015. He earned two Pro Bowls with the Raiders in his first three seasons.
Unfortunately, he requested a trade in 2018 after just three and a half seasons in Oakland, and he ended up with the Dallas Cowboys. He has been a journeyman since, landing with both the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills over the last few years.
Former Oakland Raiders WR Amari Cooper (89).James Lang-Imagn Images
Cooper is still a free agent ahead of the 2025 NFL season, but CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin just provided a list of potential destinations for him, as well as free agent wideout Keenan Allen. Unfortunately, the Denver Broncos were on the list.
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"If we're being honest, we're kind of surprised the Broncos haven't already claimed one of these veteran wideouts. They've got a hot young signal-caller in Bo Nix, who might be among the game's most underrated up-and-comers, but they could still use more of a proven weapon on the outside," Benjamin wrote. "Tight end Evan Engram may well become Nix's new safety valve, and coach Sean Payton may lean on the ground game and defense anyway. But why not explore a potential No. 2 upgrade behind Courtland Sutton?"
After forcing his way out of Oakland, this would be a brutal way for Cooper to return to the Raiders' division. He is on the downslope of his career, as he caught just 44 passes for 547 yards and four touchdowns last season, but he can still be effective.
In his three and a half seasons with the Raiders, he caught 225 passes for 3,183 yards and 19 touchdowns. His best season came in 2016 when he caught 83 passes for 1,153 yards and five touchdowns, helping lead the team to the playoffs.
The Broncos could certainly use his help, as the team lacked wide receiver production in 2024 despite winning 10 games and making the playoffs. However, this move would sting for Raider Nation.
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Related: Former Raiders Starter Lands New Job Ahead of 2025 Season
Related: Brock Bowers Sends Strong Message on Raiders Rookie RB Ashton Jeanty
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
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