Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp popped up in NFL rumors in late October of last season with the team shopping him after a 1-4 start coming out of the bye week. While a mid-season turnaround kept him on the Rams roster, he won’t return next season.
Kupp, who turns 32 in June, announced that the Rams intend to trade him this offseason despite his wishes to remain with the club. Los Angeles still intends to work out a contract restructure with quarterback Matthew Stafford, but the team’s long-time No. 1 receiver has played his last snap for the franchise.
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- Cooper Kupp contract (Spotrac): $29.78 million cap hit, $12.5 million base salary, $5 million roster bonus in 2025
An All-Pro selection and the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2021, Kupp’s production and value have dropped considerably in recent years. The 6-foot-2 wide receiver hasn’t played in more than 12 games since 2021 and he’s coming off a season with career-worsts in yards per reception (10.6) and first downs (28).
Complicating a potential trade even further is Kupp’s contract. Heading into his age-32 campaign, he carries the fifth-highest cap hit ($29.78 million) among wide receivers in 2025. Two of the wide receivers ahead of him – Davante Adams and Tyler Lockett – are expected to be cut this spring. As a result of his deal, Los Angeles will have to cover a sizable portion of the contract to facilitate a trade.
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Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post spoke to multiple general managers who said the Rams are willing to at least $5 million of Kupp’s salary next season. However, while there are clubs with interest in a deal, as of now there is skepticism about whether or not Los Angeles will have to cover even more of the contract.
Kupp’s durability issues aren’t the only concern for potential acquiring teams. He’s also not creating as much separation as he used to with his yards per route run falling from 2.61 (7th) in 2022 to 2.10 (30th) this past season. He also ranked 38th in route win rate (45.6 percent), per PlayerProfiler.com.
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- Cooper Kupp stats (ESPN): 67 receptions, 710 receiving yards, 6 touchdowns in 12 games
The Rams are also not expected to get a strong return in a trade, even with part of Kupp’s salary covered. As of now, the general belief around the league is that Los Angeles will likely get just a fifth- or sixth-round pick in exchange for Kupp.
However, trading the former All-Pro wide receiver will provide the Rams with much-needed cap relief to improve their offensive line and secondary. It would also help the club to be more amenable in contract talks with Stafford this spring to lower his cap hit ($50 million) for the upcoming season.
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