Cooper Kupp Trade Rumors: Patriots, Steelers, More Named as Landing Spots by Insiders
Mike Chiari@@mikechiari
Featured Columnist IVFebruary 8, 2025
Multiple teams are reportedly expected to have interest in a trade for Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp this offseason.
Kupp revealed earlier this week in a post on X that the Rams informed him they intend to trade him:
Cooper Kupp @CooperKuppI was informed that the team will be seeking a trade immediately and will be working with me and my family to find the right place to continue competing for championships. I don't agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA. <br><br>Still, if there's… <a href="https://t.co/XWmbGVscGy">pic.twitter.com/XWmbGVscGy</a>
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, NFL executives believe Kupp will have a trade market due to the fact that he is quarterback-friendly, can make contested catches and is known as a hard worker.
An AFC executive said the New England Patriots would be "foolish" to not look into a trade for Kupp. It was also noted that the Pittsburgh Steelers looked into Kupp's availability at the trade deadline this season, so they could be a potential landing spot as well.
Fowler also floated the Detroit Lions, Washington Commanders and Kansas City Chiefs as teams that would be fits for Kupp.
In addition to the Patriots and Steelers, Fowler named the Detroit Lions, Washington Commanders and Kansas City Chiefs as possible landing spots for Kupp.
Kupp already has experience playing the Lions quarterback Jared Goff from their time together with the Rams, while the Commanders need a complement across from Terry McLaurin and the Chiefs have a penchant for going after veteran wideouts to pair with quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Kupp, 31, is preparing to enter his ninth NFL season, and it is fair to say that he has had a unique career this far.
The season everyone still remembers and talks about is his historic 2021 campaign when he won the receiving Triple Crown with 145 receptions for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns. Kupp was also Offensive Player of the Year that season, and he was Super Bowl MVP in the Rams' Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
In three seasons since then, Kupp has never had more than 75 catches, 812 yards or six touchdowns in a single campaign primarily due to injuries.
Kupp missed eight games in 2022 and five in each of the past two seasons. He was productive when healthy this season, recording 67 grabs for 710 yards and six scores, but Kupp clearly fell behind Puka Nacua as quarterback Matthew Stafford's preferred No. 1 option.
The 2021 season is the only time Kupp has ever been a Pro Bowler or First Team All-Pro, and he has only one other 1,000-yard season to his credit, finishing with 1,161 yards in 2019.
Kupp has played an entire slate of regular-season games only once in his career, and that is likely the main thing that would give teams pause before trading for him.
Also, Kupp is signed through 2026, and Fowler noted that $15 million of the $20 million Kupp is due in 2025 is guaranteed via a roster bonus.
Fowler suggested that the Rams would likely eat some of his salary in a trade, but how much they are willing to take on will almost certainly be among the main determining factors in where he lands.