Cooper: ‘I Can Go Nowhere But Up,' Wants Improved Play Down the Stretch

The Raiders searched in vain for dynamic receiving production before Amari Cooper came along. Thousand-yard seasons proved elusive even in the golden age of passing stats, with a full decade's drought after Randy Moss posted a four-digit total in 2005.

Cooper's made that old hat.

The 2015 first-round pick has two 1,000-yard campaigns in as many seasons. Ditto for Pro Bowl honors. Those feats have become increasingly common, Cooper's already in rarified air.

Cooper's career is off to a solid start, but the No. 4 overall pick two years ago believes he can be much better. That especially true later in the season, where production has waned in his first two seasons.

He has nine 100-yard performances in two seasons, with just two coming after week 8. He noticeably struggled with injury at the end of 2015, but wouldn't make excuses for a production drop last season.

Cooper wants to finish as strong as he starts, and has full confidence that will happen this season.

"Of course it's been on my mind, but it's a good thing to me because I feel like I can go nowhere but up," Cooper said after Tuesday's OTA session. "I know that I can have a lot more production than I've had in the past two seasons, so we'll just see."

Cooper has sought counsel from other NFL greats – Calvin Johnson has been in Alamenda this week, offering sage advice – and Raiders coaches have identified ways where he can be even more dynamic working with quarterback Derek Carr.

"Certainly there are things that we think we can do to help," head coach Jack Del Rio said. "Also, for him, I think he has a much greater understanding. I thought last year was a step forward. I know he wants to continue to push. It's great when you have a young, talented player that's really eager to be special, wants to make a mark in this league. The way he's working at it right now is outstanding. That's all we want of our guys.

Cooper is a versatile presence, able to do most everything well. His route running was luaded out of college, though he can be a good deep-ball receiver and can create big plays after the catch. Cooper knows his hands much be more consistent, but the Raiders want to exract more from his natural talents.

"There are a lot of different facets to him," Del Rio said. "Where his speed is really one of his greatest strengths, obviously, his route running ability was pretty doggone polished when he got here, but even that can continue to improve and the timing with Derek. We think he'll continue to ascend."

That's the goal heading into his third NFL season now armed with greater knowledge of how he's being covered and muscle memory of what went wrong at times later in the year.

Cooper believes detail work will help him this fall and winter, and that starts in earnest during the offseason program.

"It's easy to forget the small things like high-pointing the ball, looking the ball all the way through and not trying to run before you actually catch the ball," Cooper said. "Overall, I'm just working hard in the offseason so that you can come back and you can be dominant.

"I want to be the best Amari Cooper that I could possibly be. I want to be better than every other year that I've played football, so that's how I am looking at this year."

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