CeeDee Lamb reveals how he learned about the Amari Cooper trade to the Browns

Not even CeeDee Lamb knew about the Amari Cooper trade before it happened. The Dallas Cowboys shocked many NFL fans this offseason when they traded Cooper — a four-time Pro Bowler — to Cleveland in exchange for just a fifth and sixth round pick.

Lamb found out the same way most people did — by watching the news.

“I was actually in the gym and I saw it on TV,” the Cowboys receiver said recently. “I was working out in Fort Lauderdale for my offseason program and I saw it on TV and was like, ‘Wow. That’s crazy.’ My phone started blowing up literally minutes after and it’s been a crazy story ever since.”

Lamb wasn’t sure what to think at the time. He spent his first two NFL seasons learning under Cooper and was now essentially given the title of No. 1 receiver overnight. It represented a great opportunity, but he also wanted to let Cooper know what his mentorship meant.

“It kind of caught me by surprise,” Lamb said. “I just wanted to thank him for everything he’s done for me in the first two years. That was really important to me and my direction and trying to find a place in this league where there’s a lot of great receivers. Just giving him his roses for taking me under his wing and making me a better receiver.”

Lamb surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in just his second NFL season this past year, so there is already plenty of evidence in his star power. Thanks to the Amari Cooper trade, he’ll be asked to handle even more responsibility as Dak Prescott‘s top target in 2022. As for Cooper, he’ll try to develop chemistry with new Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson as the top dog in the Browns receiver room.

Lamb will play his first regular season game without Cooper on the roster with him on Sept. 11 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Browns will open the season on the same day against Carolina.