Undrafted WR Josh Cooper a Familiar Face for Weeden with Browns

Anyone who watched a quarter of Oklahoma State football over the last few years can tell you that Brandon Weeden's first option was almost always Justin Blackmon. The Browns had the opportunity to take Blackmon fourth overall and attempt to pair him up with his college QB, but Alabama RB Trent Richardson was so enticing that the team gave up three draft picks just to ensure that they got him. 

Instead, they signed undrafted free-agent WR and Weeden's teammate at Oklahoma State, Josh Cooper. While it might seem like a meager consolation prize, Weeden disagrees, saying he liked throwing the ball to Cooper as much as he did to Blackmon, according to WKNR Browns reporter Will Burge.

Surprisingly, it was Cleveland GM Tom Heckert, not Weeden, that initiated the reunion. Gina Mizell of the Oklahoman reports that Heckert texted Weeden during the draft, asking him to persuade Cooper to sign with Browns if he went undrafted. Mizell writes that Weeden was golfing when Heckert reached out to him, so head coach Pat Shurmur texted him, and then called and left a voicemail.

Weeden said, “I got a call from the head coach and the GM just kind of pushing me to do what I could to get (Cooper) on board."

Whatever Weeden told Cooper worked, because he signed, and when the Browns took the field for their rookie minicamp today, Cooper was in the slot with fourth-round pick Travis Benjamin lined up outside, according to Burge. Burge later commented on the "obvious chemistry" between Weeden and Cooper. The receiver is reprising the inside receiver role with Weeden that allowed him to rack up top-10 career numbers in both receptions and yards at Oklahoma State. Weeden cited Cooper's dependability running the right route and being in the right spot as factors that made him one of his "favorite guys to throw to."

Weeden and Cooper are close enough that Cooper has moved in with Weeden and his wife, Melanie, during the minicamp. If Cooper continues to keep Weeden comfortable on the field, he might have to find his own place in Cleveland off the field before the end of the summer.