Amari Cooper injury status: Latest update on Bills WR ahead of Broncos Wild Card clash

When observers were worried about the Bills' prospects for the 2024 season, they did not consider Josh Allen's form or the addition of Amari Cooper to their roster. Instead of struggling this year after trading Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, they won the AFC East at a canter and are the second seed in their conference going into the playoffs.

Beyond his numbers, Amari Cooper has proved to be a veteran presence in the locker room and that will become even more important in the playoffs. The pressure comes with all games henceforth being knockout matches and this is where experience often shines.

However, the Bills fans know that their wide receiver has been battling a back injury since last week. It did not matter in Week 18 of the regular season since Buffalo had already locked its place and spot in the postseason. However, the situation is completely different against the high-flying Broncos.

With Bo Nix playing as well in Denver as one could expect, the Bills need their offense to keep up. Cooper's availability, therefore, becomes crucial. Here is what we know about his playing status.

Amari Cooper's Wild Card round injury update

Amari Cooper appeared on the injury report again before the Wild Card round. However, the good news is that he was a full participant in practice on all three days and does not have a game designation.

The wide receiver also did not have a game designation last week but did not play against New England due to personal family reasons. While we cannot speculate on that matter, his head coach Sean McDermott expected it to be resolved before the playoffs. Therefore, it is unlikely that such a situation will repeat before the Wild Card round.

How has Amari Cooper performed this season?

Amari Cooper began his season with the Browns before moving to Buffalo in October. Since then, he has racked up 20 catches, 297 yards, and two touchdowns with the Bills. It is a marked improvement from his time in Cleveland this year when he recorded 250 yards in 24 receptions. While the total number is the same, it equates to 4.5 yards per catch more in his current tenure.

His total numbers are down from the 1,000-yard seasons that he has had multiple times over his career. However, once one factors in that he did not have preseason with his current team and has, therefore, not been targeted as much otherwise, the stats make for a rosier reading.

The Bills defense has twice given up mammoth totals, against the Rams and the Lions, against explosive offenses this season. With Bo Nix playing the way he is, this game could go the same way. That would mean Buffalo having to depend on their offense outscoring the opposition.

That will not be easy as Denver has a fearsome pass rush and a good secondary unit. They allowed just 18.3 points per game on average in the regular season, making them the third-best in the NFL. They also gave up less than 100 yards on the ground per match.

Thus, the home team's passing attack will have to be firing on all cylinders if their playoff adventure is not to end in the Wild Card round. Josh Allen would need to play well but he will need support too. That is where veteran presence and understanding might become crucial and Amari Cooper could become indispensable.