Browns WR Amari Cooper hoping for offensive 'fireworks' even with Deshaun Watson suspended

Star wide receiver Amari Cooper fell out of favor with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones after Cooper recorded 68 receptions for 865 yards and eight touchdowns last season mostly while catching passes thrown by quarterback and two-time Pro Bowl selection Dak Prescott. 

The Cowboys then traded Cooper to the Cleveland Browns in March, where he'll eventually have three-time Pro Bowler Deshaun Watson as his QB1. Cooper and company will have to wait until early December for Watson to make his official Browns debut, as the 26-year-old will serve an 11-game suspension over allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions. 

Backup and journeyman Jacoby Brissett is on track to start for the Browns in Watson's absence, and Cooper suggested on Thursday he's not lowering his expectations for his new offense with Brissett in the lineup as Cleveland prepares for Sunday's regular-season opener at the Carolina Panthers. 

"Hopefully it’s going to be fireworks," Cooper remarked, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. "We definitely have the talent on this side of the ball to be everything we want to be. I would just say 'wait and see.' Why not? It’s right around the corner." 

Not everyone is as optimistic as Cooper. For a piece published Wednesday, Marc Sessler of the NFL's website ranked Brissett dead last among his Week 1 starting signal-callers. 

"I don’t love Brissett’s chances inside a Browns offense that is paper thin at wideout, but he brings the experience of 37 NFL starts," Sessler wrote. "Cleveland’s ground game can do the heavy lifting if Jacoby can hit the brakes on his 12 career fumbles. Guide this club to 6-5 by Watson’s return, and Brissett has done his job." 

Brissett made five starts and 11 appearances with the Miami Dolphins last season. He posted a record of 2-3 and completed 62.7% of his passes for 1,283 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions.