Cooper Kupp could be the next star wide receiver to be traded after the Los Angeles Rams sent out the word that they’re open for business.
The Rams reportedly want a second-round pick for Kupp and are willing to take on some of his 2024 salary, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
This is a high asking price for the Super Bowl LVI MVP, considering that the Cleveland Browns and Las Vegas Raiders only got third-round picks for Amari Cooper and Davante Adams, respectively. But the pick the Raiders got from the New York Jets could turn into a second rounder if Adams becomes an All-Pro this season or is on the active roster should the Jets make the AFC championship game or Super Bowl LIX.
Perhaps the Rams get a conditional third-round pick for the 31-year-old Kupp from one of the many wide receiver-needy playoff contenders. There are also multiple teams with coaches from the Sean McVay tree who have worked with Kupp in Los Angeles. But you don’t need to be a former McVay assistant to know how much Kupp’s versatility helps an offense.
Those that view Kupp solely as a slot wide receiver aren’t paying attention to how much he contributes in the running game with stout blocking and exceptional football IQ that leads to productive pre-snap motions.
With everything Kupp does on the field, perhaps that’s enough for the Rams to land a second-round pick, as they move into a new era with Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams as the focal points to the offense. But it’s somewhat strange that the Rams have informed the NFL insiders that they’re willing to listen to trade offers for Kupp this early in the season, especially with the NFC West race being far from over. The Seattle Seahawks (4–3) lead the San Francisco 49ers (3–4), Arizona Cardinals (3–4) and Rams (2–4) in the divisional standings.
Then again, it’s better to move on a year early than a year too late. Also, it’s easier for GM Les Snead to make a franchise-altering move knowing that Kupp and Matthew Stafford already delivered a Super Bowl in 2021. If the Rams lose to the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night, perhaps trade rumors begin to swirl about Stafford.
For now, let’s focus on potential landing spots for Kupp. Maybe even a few bad teams will be willing to cough up a second-round pick for Kupp to aid with the development of a young quarterback and kickstart a rebuilding process. Technically, Kupp is under contract through the 2026 season, so he wouldn’t be just a rental player. But Kupp could also seek a reworked deal to give him more security past this season. Here’s how much Kupp is owed in the coming years.
With so many teams in need of a wide receiver, we decided to break up Kupp’s potential landing spots into three categories. If your favorite team isn’t on any of the lists below, it could be because of salary cap issues or the need to stay committed to a full rebuild, like the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders. Or the team simply doesn’t need the offensive help. The Buffalo Bills already got Cooper and the Baltimore Ravens seem to have their offensive stride with Derrick Henry. But every team in the league could use a Cooper Kupp.
O.K., let’s get to the list!
Contenders that definitely should trade for Kupp
Detroit Lions: If the Rams are no longer prioritizing a postseason push, that could increase the odds of Snead trading Kupp to a fellow NFC team. Snead is familiar with Lions GM Brad Holmes—the two worked together for many years in Los Angeles and St. Louis. The two GMs also worked out the blockbuster 2021 trade that sent Stafford to the Rams and Jared Goff to the Lions.
Given how that trade worked well for both sides, perhaps these two teams should do business again. Kupp is already familiar with Goff and he would aid the Lions’ dominant offense in various ways. Detroit would be a bigger headache to defend against the run, with how well Kupp thrives in doing the dirty work. And receiver depth wouldn’t hurt after Jameson Williams was recently suspended for two games. Not many will care about the second-round pick in Detroit if this season ends with the Lombardi trophy.
Washington Commanders: Kupp could have a long-term home with the Commanders, who have quickly turned it around with new decision makers in the nation’s capital. Washington has the cap space to rework Kupp’s contract and have him be a core piece for the next few years to help with the development of Jayden Daniels and become a No. 2 wide receiver to Terry McLaurin, who hasn’t had much help over the years. Landing Kupp could be enough for the Commanders to hold off the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East.
One area of concern, though, for teams aiming to make Kupp more than a rental player: he has dealt with many injuries since his memorable 2021 season when he won Offensive Player of the Year. Kupp only played nine games in ’22, 12 games last season and only two games so far this season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: After the injuries to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the Buccaneers desperately need help at wide receiver. Kupp could hit the ground running in Tampa Bay because offensive coordinator Liam Coen worked with Kupp during four seasons in Los Angeles. Kupp wasn’t healthy when Baker Mayfield played the final five games for the Rams in 2022. A move for Kupp would revive Tampa Bay’s playoff hopes to compete with the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Keep an eye on the Steelers because they heavily pursued 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in the offseason and are reportedly interested in Jets wide receiver Mike Williams. Surely, coach Mike Tomlin would love to have Kupp’s stout blocking and versatility in the passing game to make the Steelers’ offense more than just moonshot passes from Russell Wilson to George Pickens. The Steelers should be at the forefront of trade discussions before their schedule gets difficult after the Week 9 bye week.
Atlanta Falcons: More Kupp familiarity here, with Falcons coach Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson being former Rams assistants. With Kirk Cousins struggling to move around the pocket, the Falcons would benefit from Kupp’s ability to get open quickly and knack for making plays around the line of scrimmage. Drake London and Kyle Pitts would also benefit from being around a player with a wealth of football knowledge.
Teams that should explore but probably won’t get a deal done
Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs have needed a standout wide receiver for quite some time, but there are reasons why they had a quiet trade deadline last year and didn’t land Cooper or Adams in a trade. As Russini mentioned, the Chiefs might not have the money to acquire Kupp even if the Rams take on some of his salary for this year.
And the Chiefs are far from being in a desperate situation to do everything they can to land Kupp. They already have won three Super Bowls with Patrick Mahomes and are again the favorites this season as they aim to win a third consecutive title. The Chiefs will likely talk to the Rams before moving on to a different trade option.
Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys should probably take their lumps this season and prioritize a contract extension for Micah Parsons. Maybe the Jones family explores interest in Kupp to help Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb and to give the running game a boost. But even with Kupp, that might not be enough for them to win the NFC East and compete with the teams in the NFC North come the postseason.
The Cowboys need to worry about hitting on draft picks to support a top-heavy roster with plenty of money committed to their star players. This team isn’t in an ideal position to give up Day 2 draft picks.
Los Angeles Chargers: Similar to the Cowboys, how much would Kupp help the Chargers in the playoffs? He might not be enough to beat the Chiefs or the Ravens, and probably the Bills and Texans, too. Sure, it could get the Chargers into the postseason, but Jim Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz probably aren’t looking for the quick fix. They’re building through the trenches and have cleaned up the salary cap.
They already knew the skill position group was going to be an issue during Year 1 of the new regime after trading Keenan Allen and cutting Williams. It wouldn’t make sense to go away from the long-term plans now that the team is 3–3. The Chargers will likely keep their options open for next year’s free agency or aim to draft a wide receiver in the early rounds.
Bad teams that should make an effort for Kupp
New England Patriots: Kupp probably wouldn’t want to go to New England, but the Patriots might be one of the few teams that wouldn’t hesitate to give up a second-round pick to help with the development of Drake Maye. Yes, they could keep that pick and draft a wideout, but again, Kupp’s knowledge and versatility carries plenty of value for a young team.
New York Giants: Here’s a wild idea: the Giants should trade for Kupp and Stafford to help spur a quick turnaround to save the jobs of GM Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll. A second- and third-round pick from the Giants to the Rams for Stafford and Kupp. Get it done.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence shouldn’t be in the category of “young quarterback in need of help.” But here we are after three-and-a-half rocky seasons in Jacksonville.
Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins went all-in with their vertical game once Mike McDaniel arrived in 2022, but that’s only led to two one-and-done playoff exits. Kupp would thrive in McDaniel’s pre-snap motion and provide another element to an offense that desperately needs it.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Potential Cooper Kupp Trade Landing Spots: Lions, Commanders Should Go All-in.