Eagles release wide receiver Riley Cooper after 6 seasons

The Philadelphia Eagles have cut wide receiver Riley Cooper.

Cooper, 28, spent six seasons with the Eagles after joining them as a fifth round draft pick in 2010.

The Eagles saved $2.9 million on next year’s salary cap by cutting Cooper, according to NFL.com, while incurring $2.4 million in dead money. After the season, the Eagles rewarded Cooper with a five-year contract worth $22.5 million.

Cooper had caused controversy in 2013 for saying a racial slur that was caught on video during a Kenny Chesney concert. It was that year in which Cooper posted 47 catches for 835 yards, an average of 17.8 yards per reception.

Given Cooper’s ties with Kelly, San Francisco will be brought up as an obvious landing spot. He played in half his team’s offensive snaps this past season.

When Chip Kelly came to the Eagles the production of Cooper picked up. Kelly sent Cooper away from the team to reflect and get counseling, but the period of introspection turned out to be basically a weekend spent back home with Cooper’s parents in Florida.

“I was drinking but that is no excuse for what I said and what I did”, Cooper explained at the time. He caught 55 passes for 577 yards and three scores in 2014, and just 21 passes for 327 yards and two touchdowns this past season. “Riley has apologized to the team and community and has made a personal commitment to work hard to try and gain their trust and earn his position on the team”. In 2015, with Sam Bradford as the starting quarterback, Cooper’s playing time was reduced.