Former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson can’t help but love the new addition his former team made this week.
Johnson, the first man in Bills history to string together three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons, expressed his approval of the Amari Cooper trade and explained why it would instantly improve the offense. The prolific road runner spoke as a guest on WGRIt is Jeremy and Joe Show.
“Now you have Amari Cooper. He’s a level above me and he plays with Josh. [Allen]so enjoy it, because you’re about to see something special with Cooper and Josh,” Johnson said Friday morning, three days after Buffalo opted for a proven WR1.
Johnson, a former seventh-round draft pick out of Kentucky, made a habit of beating some top cornerbacks on slant routes during his six seasons as Bill. His moves off the line were effective against Darrelle Revis and Richard Sherman, and the retired receiver sees similar ability from Cooper.
“It’s funny we ended up picking Amari Cooper. I ended up posting the run of the week when the Browns played the Giants. He ran a slant route, and it was about the same way I did my slant run against the Browns when me and Fitz were playing, I crushed it on my social media and I’ll repost it today, but I like what Amari Cooper has,” Johnson said , who had his best seasons with Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback.
Cooper, the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, eclipsed the 1,000 receiving yard mark in seven of his first nine professional seasons. His route-running accuracy and ability to create separation should give the Bills an immediate boost.
“As a receiver, we study these guys that come in, and Amari Cooper is special,” Johnson said. “I actually watched him when he was in high school. I watched him from high school, then at the University of Alabama, and I was an SEC guy, so obviously I watch those guys from close, and what I saw was just confidence, confidence in his skills on the course.
Johnson doesn’t anticipate any difficulty for Cooper acclimating in time for Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans. The man who once showed off a ‘Why So Serious’ undershirt suggested Cooper’s experience and knowledge would allow him to contribute from day one.
RELATED: Sean McDermott’s mistakes hold Bills back
“When you have a guy like Amari Cooper, who’s cerebral…I feel like when he comes to this team, it’s nothing new. All you need is a few hours with your new quarterback and communicating, and things will work out,” Johnson said. “It’s not that hard, because the playbooks are big , but all these games are similar. They’re just different names for them.
As for how far the Bills can go this year, now that they’ve added a true receiving threat, Johnson is very optimistic.
“That’s going to take us over the top, adding Amari Cooper with those pieces we already have. It’s amazing for us,” Johnson said.
— Enjoy free Buffalo Bills bill coverage on SI —
