Amari Cooper notified the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, that he is retiring from the NFL, a surprising decision that came roughly one week after he signed a one-year contract and began practicing with the team.
Key Takeaways
- Cooper signed a one-year deal with the Raiders last Tuesday and retired Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025.
- The 31-year-old spent the 2024 season with the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills and went unsigned through most of free agency and training camp.
- Raiders sources say Cooper’s week of practice did not show him as a clear difference-maker.
- Las Vegas had added Cooper to address outside-receiver depth behind Jakobi Meyers and early-career players like Tre Tucker.
- With Cooper retired, the Raiders may target veteran free agents — options include Tyler Boyd, Kendrick Bourne, Diontae Johnson, Nelson Agholor and Robert Woods.
- Practice-squad receivers Alex Bachman, Shedrick Jackson and Justin Shorter remain on the roster but lack proven starting resumes.
Verified Facts
According to a team source, Cooper informed the Raiders of his decision to step away from the game after roughly a week in Henderson practicing with the club. The timing follows a one-year signing the prior Tuesday and comes ahead of Week 1 preparations.
Cooper, 31, played with the Browns and Bills during the 2024 season. Evaluations of his 2024 tape showed a drop from the Pro Bowl-level production he posted earlier in his career, and he remained unsigned through most of the offseason and training-camp period.
The Raiders added Cooper primarily for veteran depth on the perimeter. The current outside-receiver group features Tre Tucker (entering his third season) and rookies Dont’e Thornton and Jack Bech, while Jakobi Meyers is chiefly a slot option.
Las Vegas’s practice squad currently lists Alex Bachman, Shedrick Jackson and Justin Shorter. Team sources say none of those three have yet demonstrated clear starter-level production, which leaves the Raiders likely to explore the open market.
Context & Impact
The receiver market this late in the calendar is thin, but a few experienced options remain available. Names reported as still on the market include Tyler Boyd, Kendrick Bourne, Diontae Johnson, Nelson Agholor, Robert Woods and former Raider DJ Turner. Any signing would be a near-term move to replace the veteran insurance Cooper was intended to provide.
For the Raiders, the roster shift raises immediate questions about matchups and depth for the upcoming regular season. Depending on health and scheme fit, the club could pursue a veteran pickup, promote from the practice squad, or rely more heavily on internal young players while seeking upgrades in the short term.
Official Statements
“He notified the team that he’s decided to retire,”
Raiders team source
Unconfirmed
- Specific personal or medical reasons for Cooper’s retirement have not been publicly disclosed.
- Internal evaluations that labeled Cooper “unimpressive” in practice are based on team-source accounts and have not been independently corroborated.
Bottom Line
Amari Cooper’s abrupt retirement leaves the Raiders thin at outside receiver and likely prompts quick roster work. With a limited pool of proven veterans available, Las Vegas faces a short-term search for reliable perimeter help ahead of the regular season.