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Amari Cooper is an NFL dynamic receiver. There is no need to say that. He is an excellent road racer with sneaky online speed and great unseizability after catching up.
The Raiders' top target has used these skills to accumulate great performances. He is not considered among the best receivers of the NFL. It is an achievable goal, on which he works.
"I'm just trying to work on my job and be as complete a player as possible," Cooper said. "I focused on being a consistent player."
Cooper is a complete receiver, but this last part remains a work in progress. The first two weeks of the season are a good example. He had a nine-yard lead in the first game and 10 receptions for 116 yards on as many targets against Denver.
Part of this has to do with the coverage, but the best receivers are rarely completely removed from the games. Cooper has too often in his career. He has played five games with less than 10 yards in 2017. He has played only two consecutive games of 100 yards. He scored only touchdowns in consecutive games in three seasons and more.
The injuries played a factor at the end of each season, but Cooper increased the size of his body to improve his strength and absorb the blows. Many believe that it can thrive under head coach Jon Gruden, where he can stay healthy.
"I've had the chance to rub shoulders with all kinds of different guys," said Gruden. "The ones I love the most are the ones who can do what he did on Sunday. He had 10 official out of 10 targets. It was really 10 for 10. I have never had that before. He is an excellent receiver. I have said it since the beginning. He's strong, fast, he knows what he's doing.
"He is quiet, but we communicate better, we get to know each other, I love the direction of this relationship."
Cooper believes that his relationship on the field with Derek Carr improves, especially in the Denver game where they were in perfect sync.
"Our communication during this game has been the best since I've been here," Carr said. "We discussed adjustments, things we thought, not even on the sidelines, but also in the corner. Just our quick communications that we need to win games. I have the impression that all these things are growing. I think that's the biggest difference. We know that he is talented. But that sort of thing is the biggest difference I notice in the first two games. "
Cooper is a discreet guy, definitely not someone to find a megaphone and shout. The receiver-general emphasized better communication with Carr during games, saying he could have done something special after the game when he won.
This could be Cooper's subtle way of asking for the ball, please.
"Speaking this way, doing these things and seeing what happens in the game is what allowed this communication to develop," said Carr. "If they cover us like that, I throw it like that, over time we've really worked on it, it's getting bigger and bigger, but now we're at a point that's a good place to communicate during the game. . "
Open communication can help Cooper consistently produce and find ways to get the ball even when the blanket is heavy.
Sunday's game against the Dolphins would be a good time to match dominant games. It's a reunion game for Cooper, a Miami native with friends and family still in the area. Last year, he and the Raiders practice team player, Johnny Holton, were childhood friends and asked for tickets to the 2017 game in Miami.
It's a special place for me, "said Cooper. "Last year, I had to give a lot of tickets. Johnny had to give 100, so I'm not going to complain about my number.
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