The Los Angeles Rams want to trade Cooper Kupp. However, moving him for any kind of a haul could prove tough.
In 2021, Kupp had one of the greatest years we’ve seen from a receiver. He won the league’s triple crown, catching 145 passes for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns, helping the Rams win Super Bowl LVI over the Cincinnati Bengals.
However, injuries and age have caught up with Kupp. He hasn’t amassed 900 yards in any of his three seasons since, playing in just 12 games last year. Although still productive, potential trade partners will be leary, and his base salary numbers of $12.5 million and $14.8 million over the next two years, while not huge, are impactful enough to limit his market.
So, with Kupp at 32 years old by the time next season starts, who should show interest? Here are five teams to watch.
5. Tennessee Titans
This is a bit off the board, but there’s logic here. The Titans could very well use their No. 1 draft pick on a quarterback, be it Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. If they do, adding Kupp would be a smart move, especially with $44 million in cap space.
Tennessee has only Calvin Ridley as a legitimate threat on the outside, and acquiring Kupp would give a rookie quarterback somewhat of a security blanket underneath. While he’s aging, the point of having Kupp wouldn’t be to make a Super Bowl run. Rather, it would mean to help develop a quarterback for the next 15 years.
4. Denver Broncos
Denver was a surprise playoff team in 2024, advancing to the postseason on the strength of its defense while riding increasingly better play from Bo Nix.
However, the offense remains limited with Courtland Sutton the only consistent weapon. Although Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele are intriguing youngsters entering their second seasons, Kupp coming aboard wouldn’t be a bad idea.
For starters, he would instantly upgrade the receiving corps while giving Nix an outlet. Beyond that, he could help the development of the aforementioned wideouts, giving him some hidden value as well.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
If the Steelers aren’t going to do the wise thing and tear down that team to the studs in a rebuilding effort, then Kupp makes sense.
Right now, the offense is essentially George Pickens on the outside, a dash here and there of tight end Pat Freiermuth and the running of Jaylen Warren. Pittsburgh needs more regardless of who the quarterback is going to be in 2025, and Kupp provides such an answer.
If the Steelers decide to keep Pickens and then add Kupp, it would be the first time Pittsburgh has two legitimate threats at receiver since the days of Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster.
2. Washington Commanders
The Commanders made a surprise run to the NFC championship game this season, but they need more offensive weapons.
Terry McLaurin is one of the game’s truly great wideouts, but it’s a bare cupboard in Washington otherwise. With Jayden Daniels blossoming into one of the NFL’s biggest stars, he needs another target and Kupp would fit the bill.
A savvy vet who can work from the inside, Kupp would have ample space to get open with McLaurin constantly commanding both two-high looks and double teams.
1. New England Patriots
The Patriots have the most cap space of any team going into the offseason ($120 million), and this would be a wise place to spend some of it.
Provided the cost for Kupp won’t be too significant, general manager Eliot Wolf can land a veteran slot presence for second-year quarterback Drake Maye, giving him a reliable target. While Kupp is no longer a star, he’s a quality player who would give Maye a legitimate threat to consistently catch the ball.
And if you’re the Patriots, you have to start somewhere. Kupp is a good player who makes the team better and gives the offense someone to rely on in third down and other key situations.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Five Potential Landing Spots for Cooper Kupp.
