Amari Cooper Shares Why a Raiders Reunion Was Always 'in the Back of My Mind'

After an offseason of uncertainty, wide receiver Amari Cooper found his new home on Monday, when it was announced that he'd be returning to his former Raiders for another run.

And speaking to the media after Tuesday's practice, at which point Cooper asserted he's still "got some juice left," the vet shared a bit more about this reunion and why it was always on his mind, even after his initial trade to the Cowboys in 2018.

“Yeah, honestly. I always kind of had it in the back of my mind because when I was drafted here, I felt the expectations were high,” he added, when prompted on the matter (starting at 1:32). “I felt like I did OK, but I always knew why I was drafted. You draft a guy in the top five, you expect him to really help change the organization, and I felt like at times I showed flashes of doing that, but it wasn’t to my expectations. ... This time around, I feel like I have unfinished business. ... I’m excited about it.”

“It’s nice," he said separately, regarding his return. "It’s a good feeling, a full-circle moment. I’m excited about the opportunity and I’m ready to embrace it.”

As for his time being a free agent, Cooper had some thoughts there, as well.

“I got some time to sit back, reflect," he said of the process, which he had never experienced. "Obviously, it’s been my longest offseason without doing things like OTAS, minicamp or training camp, really. So I’ve been chilling for a while in terms of being in the locker room, not really having that camaraderie for all those months. But, like I said, hopping back out there, it just feels like riding a bike.”

Cooper, who tallied 3,183 yards and 19 touchdowns across 52 games with the Raiders, is a solid get for the team's receiving corps, which may or may not be impacted by Jakobi Meyer's recent trade request. Whatever happens there, Cooper should be a good fit for quarterback Geno Smith and offer him some variety in terms of targets.

Also on Monday, the Raiders traded for now-former Browns quarterback Kenny Pickett, who will presumably back up Smith as Aidan O'Connell deals with an injury.