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ALAMEDA — The Raiders locked up wide receiver Amari Cooper through the 2019 season by exercising his fifth-year option, the club announced Monday.

The move was expected, even given Cooper’s falloff in terms of performance last season. Coach Jon Gruden is counting on making Cooper a key piece of the Raiders offense in 2018, with the Raiders releasing wide receiver Michael Crabtree and signing Jordy Nelson to be a threat as a No. 2 wide receiver.

“(Amari) had a lot of injuries last year that impacted him,” Gruden said at the NFL scouting combine. “I look forward to joining up with Amari Cooper. He’s got tremendous quickness. I think he’s smart, he’s versatile, he’s a gamer, he likes the bright lights and he’ll be the head-liner in our offense.”

Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement, first-round draft picks sign four-year contracts with a club option for a fifth season.

When asked about Cooper’s status Friday, general manager Reggie McKenzie declined to get into specifics.

“Going into the draft now, that’s what we’re focused on, but we’ve been in contact with his agent,” I don’t want to put the cart before the horse, so to speak. But we like Amari.”

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Raiders’ Darren Waller takes his star leap on Monday Night Football If Cooper were to play under a fifth-year option in 2019, he would make approximately $13.9 million. More likely, as the Raiders are attempting to do with defensive end Khalil Mack, Cooper would be signed to a contract extension which would guarantee considerably more money but lower the number in terms of salary cap.

Cooper has 48 receptions for 680 yards last season, but did have a career-high seven touchdowns. He compiled a good portion of his numbers in a Week 7 win over Kansas City in which caught 11 passes for 210 yards.

During the struggles, former Raider and Hall of Fame receiver Tim Brown — to whom Cooper is sometimes compared — told the Bay Area News Group it was the club’s fault for not getting him more involved in the offense.

“I don’t care if he’s having trouble getting off the bump and run of if they’re double-teaming him,” Brown said. “Put him in motion. Throw him a short pass. Put him on the punt team if you have to. Give him something with the ball in his hands so he can feel like he’s part of the game.”

As a rookie and the No. 4 overall pick in the draft out of Alabama, Cooper had 72 receptions for 1,070 yards and six touchdowns and was a Pro Bowl selection. He followed that up with 83 catches for 1,153 yards and became only the third player to have 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first two seasons.

While productive, Cooper has had periods diminished production and too many dropped passes. Still, he has far outperformed virtually every wide receiver taken in the draft since 2015. Get Raiders news in your inbox. Sign up now for the free Raiders HQ newsletter.

— The Raiders have signed third-year cornerback Daryl Worley, a former third round draft pick out of West Virginia in 2016 who spent the last two seasons with the Carolina Panthers.

Traded from the Carolina Panthers to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for wide receiver Torrey Smith, Worley was released after an April 15 altercation with police.

Given that the incident happened just over a week ago, it remains to be seen whether Worley is subject to discipline under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Worley has played in 31 games with 25 starts, including a career-best 14 last season. He had two interceptions and 10 passes defensed in 2017.