Rams are reportedly open to TRADE Cooper Kupp

Cooper Kupp and the Los Angeles Rams are coming off a narrow win over a lowly Las Vegas Raiders team this past Sunday. For Sean McVay and Co., it represented just their second win of the season.

There is a major backdrop to these struggles thus far. That includes injuries to stars such as Kupp. The Pro Bowler has missed each of the past four games due to a high-ankle sprain.

Kupp could very well return Thursday against the Minnesota Vikings. Nine other members of the Rams are currently on injured reserve, impacting their ability to contend for a playoff spot.

As for Kupp, his return to the Rams could very well be short lived. According to Dianna Russini, Mike Silver and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic, Los Angeles is calling other teams about potentially dealing Kupp ahead of the Nov. 5 NFL trade deadline.

The trio goes on to report that the Rams are willing to take on some of the salary remaining on Kupp’s contract for the 2024 season. They are seeking a second-round pick in return for the star receiver.

Kupp, 31, has a $15 million base salary for the 2024 season. A pro-rated total of that would come in at roughly $9.7 million. If the Rams were to take on some of that, it would likely increase their return in a potential trade.

We’ve seen star wide receivers traded thus far this season. Realistically, the Rams’ asking price for Kupp is far above market value when taking into account these other deals.

Last week saw the Las Vegas Raiders deal Davante Adams to the New York Jets for a conditional third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Said selection could turn into a second-rounder should Adams meet certain incentives moving forward on the season.

The Cleveland Browns dealt away Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills for a third-round pick in 2025 and a seventh-rounder in 2026. Buffalo also acquired a 2026 sixth-round pick in that trade. Regardless of whether they are picking up some of Kupp’s salary, the Rams’ best hope might be a third-round pick.

Why Would The Los Angeles Rams Trade Cooper Kupp?

Puka Nacua’s presence makes Cooper Kupp expendable for the Rams. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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It’s rather simple. Los Angeles and Kupp are working on two different timelines. As currently constructed, the Rams can’t be seen as legitimate title contenders. As for the former Super Bowl MVP, he’s 31 years old and might want to play for a true contender moving forward.

The Rams also have a player in Puka Nacua who is ready to take over as their top receiver. He set several records as a rookie last season, catching 105 passes for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns.

Financially, Kupp is under contract through the 2026 campaign. His cap hits are $29.78 million each of the next two seasons. That just doesn’t seem to be sustainable for the Rams.

This wouldn’t necessarily be a deterrent for an acquiring team. Kupp would have to restructure his contract to facilitate a trade. We saw the same thing happen after the Jets acquired Adams from Las Vegas last week. It’s par for the course in situations like this.

The Rams are not going to go into full-scale rebuild mode. That’s not the MO of general manager Les Snead. Trading Kupp wouldn’t necessarily be leading the organization down this path. That’s especially true with Nacua on the roster.

Potential Cooper Kupp Trade Scenarios From The Los Angeles Rams

A number of contending teams have needs at the wide receiver position. That’s why we saw two blockbuster trades hours apart last week. It’s been an area of focus for teams as the deadline approaches.

Kupp would immediately become the top receiver on the block if the aforementioned report is true. From 2019-23 with the Rams, the former Eastern Washington standout averaged 93 receptions for 1,126 yards and eight touchdowns. Sure, injuries have impacted him recently. But that production can’t be ignored.

Here, I look at some rather obvious teams that will be interested in the star wide receiver over the next two weeks.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Mike Tomlin’s squad was in on Brandon Aiyuk before he signed a long-term extension with the San Francisco 49ers. It is also being linked to Jets wide receiver Mike Williams in trade talks.

General manager Omar Khan is likely to pull off a deal for a receiver in the next couple weeks. With the Steelers at 5-2 on the season, that’s magnified further.

Detroit Lions

The reigning NFC runner-ups look very much the part this season. Dan Campbell’s squad is 5-1 heading into Week 8. The Lions are averaging north of 30 points per game with quarterback Jared Goff playing at an MVP level.

So, why would Detroit double down on offense with star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson lost for the season? It’s rather simple. Second-leading receiver Jameson Williams is suspended two games for violating the NFL’s Performance Enhancing Drug (PED) policy. Williams was previously suspended four games as a sophomore for violating the league’s gambling policy.

From an on-field perspective, this would be an ideal fit. Goff and Kupp suited up with the Rams from 2017-20. The two obviously have a built-in relationship.

Kansas City Chiefs

Despite boasting a 6-0 record on the season, these Chiefs are razor thin at the wide receiver position. Star sophomore Rashee Rice is lost for the season due to a knee injury. It’s a major absence for the Chiefs. He put up 79 receptions for 938 yards as a rookie for the eventual Super Bowl champions last season.

Rookie Xavier Worthy is Kansas City’s leading active receiver with 15 catches for 198 yards. Currently dealing with an injury of his own, JuJu Smith-Schuster is second with nine receptions.

This has played a major role in reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes having a tough go at it this season. The game’s best player has thrown six touchdowns compared to a league-leading eight interceptions thus far on the campaign. General manager Brett Veach is known for making big trades. Adding Kupp to the mix would qualify.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This team did not just lose to the Baltimore Ravens Monday night, but it also suffered some major injuries at wide receiver. Chris Godwin went down with a dislocated ankle and is likely lost for the remainder of the season. Future Hall of Famer Mike Evans was ruled out with a hamstring injury relatively early in the game.

These are Baker Mayfield’s top-two targets in the passing game. For the 4-3 Buccaneers, it could have a major impact moving forward. The two have combined for 46 percent of Tampa Bay’s receiving yards through seven games. It’s nearly impossible to find that type of production without pulling off a trade for someone like Cooper Kupp.