Exploring Possible Trade Partners while Considering Cooper Kupp and the Rams Future Together
The offseason rumors suggest that there are potential teams that the star wide receiver would be able to get traded to.
This stems from the fact that Kupp’s future with the Los Angeles Rams is quite unclear at the moment.
While four teams of the NFL are preparing themselves for the conference championship games, the rest of the league is focused on offseason plans.
Kupp along with fellow teammate, quarterback Matthew Stafford, are on the radar of other NBA teams.
Given that, for the Los Angeles Rams, Kupp has been vocal about his willingness to continue playing unlike Stafford who is contemplating his next steps.
“Not much to say about the future. It’s hard to know what will actually happen and, unfortunately, a lot of the decisions lie with other people,” Kupp said during a talk with Philadelphia Eagles after they defeated the Rams.
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Trade Rumors
Kupp has already been rumored to be traded to a number of teams with more focused options being rumored right after the Philadelphia Eagles game.
Rumors suggest that before the last trade deadline in November, Kupp was on the trading block for a lot of teams and the Rams were amongst them.
While some teams get ready to play against the Philadelphia Eagles, the other half of this team is already working on offseason strategies.
This is alongside a payment of a part of his 2024 salary if he agrees to a second round draft pick.
Kupp, who has an average of 59.2 yards receiving per game, had a dreadful season with injury and performance struggles, his worst number since his rookie season back in 2017.
If the Rams plan on re-stocking the team with younger talent, they may opt to trade him during this offseason.
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Prospective Trade Candidates
In the below lists are six teams who may be willing to trade Kupp:
- Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals may be losing Widereceiver Tee Higgins in Free Agency. In the absence of a solid receiving cornerstone next to Ja’Marr Chase, they need one.
Coach of the Bengals Zac Taylor knows Kupp from his days as assistant wide receivers coach when the Rams employed him in 2017; therefore he knows what Kupp offers.
- Dallas Cowboys
With strife at the quarterback position with Dak Prescott tossing the ball, Kupp can serve as a trusted target.
With Brandin Cooks hitting free agency, the chance that younger players stepping up to will only serve as strong backup plans to a pass heavy offense. Kupp would be a strong asset for them.
- Houston Texans
Texans are struggling mightily at wide receiver.
Diggs and Dell had injury issues last season, and their performance against Kupp is likely to be below par.
With the addition of Kupp, C.J. Stroud would have a quick and dependable target to avoid getting sacked, which would add to his offense.
- Los Angeles Chargers
If Kupp does not leave Los Angeles, the Chargers can be a decent option as well, so long as he is willing to stay with the SoFi stadium team.
The experience that Kupp has can be beneficial to the Chargers’ offensive unit, especially since the team does not have too many decent pass/catch players at the moment.
- Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers could not sign Brandon Aiyuk in the last off-season, so their receiving corps needs a lot of assistance and is lesser than ideal at the moment.
They can lose George Pickens and gain Kupp, or keep both and strengthen their offense draughts.
Kupp can improve their offensive approaches on the field thanks to his mix of skills, but the team must still figure out their quarterback issue.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With Godwin potentially moving to free agency, the need for another competent receiver to cover for Mike Evans is crucial.
With a veteran Ronnie Kupp on the field, goalposts should not be a problem. If enough cash is made available, Kupp can take Tampa’s offense to another level.
As the season approaches, Kupp’s future with the Rams is shrouded in mystery, but one thing is for sure, he can exceptionably revive any team he gets a tryout from.
Regardless of whether he remains in los Angeles or is traded, Kupp is certain to make an impact wherever he goes.Also Read: Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll Might Join Forces This Time in Las Vegas