After veteran WR Cooper Kupp was released by the Rams, he generated a healthy market and quickly found a new club. Just two days after his release, the Super Bowl LVI MVP joined the Seahawks on a three-year, $45MM contract.
The $15MM average annual value on Kupp’s Seattle deal surpassed initial expectations. The Cowboys, who were known to be in the market for a pass-catching sidekick for CeeDee Lamb, were connected to Kupp, but even the $12MM AAV that was originally believed to be the asking price for the former Rams target was seen as too rich for Dallas’ liking.
Elaborating further on that point, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes Lamb and Cowboys QB Dak Prescott called Kupp in an effort to recruit him to Dallas. Per Schefter, the club was indeed interested before bowing out due to financial considerations.
“[T]he Cowboys reached out about Cooper Kupp, and they were interested,” Schefter said on a recent podcast (via Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS). “Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, who I understand it, were on the phone with Cooper Kupp talking to him about the idea of coming to Dallas, and it was floated out there. And then the Cowboys heard the numbers, and they were at numbers the Cowboys weren’t going to get to.”
With massive contracts for Prescott and Lamb already on the books and another one for Micah Parsons in the works – despite a current lack of traction on that front – Dallas’ reluctance to make additional notable commitments to its cap sheet has been well-documented. Nonetheless, the team does hope to compete for a postseason berth in 2025, and signing Parris Campbell one day after Kupp agreed to join the Seahawks may not have been an ideal consolation prize for the Cowboys’ QB1/WR1 duo (especially since Brandin Cooks has now rejoined the Saints).
Interestingly, the Patriots, who entered the offseason with easily the most cap space in the NFL and who still lead the league in that regard, were also unwilling to exceed a certain threshold for Kupp. New England has been on the lookout for a high-end receiver for some time and was named as a suitor for Kupp. However, just like the Cowboys, the Pats bowed out when it became clear how much money Kupp was going to command (as Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal implies).
Despite the season-ending ankle injury that Chris Godwin suffered in Week 7 of the 2024 season, New England seemingly had no reservations about his price point. We already knew the Pats were preparing to make an aggressive push for Godwin, who reportedly left money on the table to re-sign with the Bucs. As it turns out, he might have left quite a lot of money on the table.
In a recent appearance on 95.3 WDAE (h/t Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk), Tampa Bay GM Jason Licht said, “[t]here were several teams that inquired but there was one that kept writing him blank checks. We got to a point of what we could do in order to keep everything together and add some pieces here, and he took it.”
Naturally, Licht did not name the blank check writer, but as Smith notes, the Patriots are believed to have extended a very lucrative offer. We may never know how high New England was willing to go to land Godwin, though QB Drake Maye cannot fault the club for its efforts to add to his supporting cast.
With Godwin off the market, the Pats recently turned their attention to free agent wideout Stefon Diggs. As of the time of this writing, a deal with the four-time Pro Bowler is not imminent.
I guess teams are waiting until after the draft to sign Cooper, Lockett, Diggs, etc.
Makes sense given the way this year’s draft is. Lot of intriguing players.
Lockett & Diggs likely going to a team with proven QB or possible contenders. Amari Cooper will go wherever a contract is offered.
Diggs needs to prove he is healthy, if his brother is still a Cowboy I can see him going there since he would be #2. They don’t fit the contender part but he gets to be with his brother and be #2 wr.
I don’t think they’ll get to be very choosy until after the draft.
Right now teams want to keep all their options open, with few exceptions.
Lockett is going to LVR Diggs is staying in Texas (Dallas or Houston) and Cooper probably to the Bears or 49ers as for Allen what ever team doesn’t sign Copper or Diggs my guess Houston or 49ers
Pats will be left holding that big adult toy in the end zone
Cooper and Lockett are far from “intriguing”.
Lockett played in 17 games (starting 14) and had 600 yards and 2 TDs. He is toast.
Cooper played in 14 games (starting 10) and had 547 yards and 4 TDs. He did next to nothing in Buffalo and the Bills moved on from him.
Any interest in Diggs will depend on his health.
Keenan Allen, who will be 33 at the start of the season, may be the best WR left in FA.
I said in the draft. Reading comprehension is your friend.
Also imagine blaming Lockett’s production on him lol
Writing composition is certainly not your friend.
It was obvious what notimportant meant… this is a you problem lol
How is Lockett gaining 600 yards as the #3 WR, in an offense where 6 players had over 40 catches, not intriguing? I mean, he was what, the 4th check down on that offense with JSN,Metcalf,and the RB’s/TE being in front of him? Factor in his longball abilities and I see a lot of positives and no negatives. He’s probably going to be the cheapest of the group as well
I’ll grant you that he was WR3 after Smith-Njigba blossomed in his second year. However, Lockett will be 33 come September. I understand why the Pats were writing blank checks for Godwin, but Lockett is available for a reason.
With Lockett you can’t go just go by stats. With all the targets they had he was not focus, but when Geno needed a clutch reception or someone who found a way to get open when team in scramble mode Tyler was one usually there. He has been that way his whole career in Seattle.Would be great to see team find a way to re sign him.
He’s seriously an amazing technician at WR. Great hands, fantastic feet in tight spots, and terrific route running.
Easily one of the most underrated in the game.
I agree.. been lucky to have been able to watch him for years now. I actually got a autograph ball from him also. Has been great for the city.
You also need to consider that when you’re that low on the depth chart, you don’t exactly have the opposing teams’ top defensive talent on you.
You also have to consider not considered first choice for target either. Can go both ways. Both are good points though
earmbrister • 22 hours ago
Cooper and Lockett are far from “intriguing”.
=====================
Sure. A lot of teams aren’t looking for a #1 with a big price and a long commitment.
Apparently the Seahawks aren’t all that interested even though Metcalf has moved on. And the Seahawks know him best. Now, in fairness, that could be for a number of reasons. Maybe Lockett is asking for too many $ or years. Maybe the team is looking to get younger or less expensive at that position. However, here he sits along with a number of other older or injured WRs.
It depends on a team’s needs. Do they need a stopgap or a guy for 4-6 years? I’m not intrigued because I’m hoping my team goes young and goes for 4-6 years.
Diggs must be in a really bad spot for the Pats to not even give him an offer??
I wonder if one of the reasons the big names won’t come here (ne) is because how they treated the biggest name in their franchise history (TB12) I mean if they can do it to the “goat” they can do it anyone and how they humiliated Mayo by not giving him the right staff and time to do his thing I mean Mayo has a lot of the blame also but the Krafts have more Mayo wasn’t ready
I was under the impression that Robert Kraft only wrote “blank” checks if a massage was involved.
Robert Kraft only shoots blanks….oh my bad read that wrong.
so witty and original………………..
Passing on Kupp is what happens when you miss 19 games over the lat 3 seasons….regardless of your rep….that rep was made on his previous team…maybe some of the GM’s are starting to smarten up when an older guy with a injury history starts making unrealistic salary demands…..of course, then there are the Seahawks who bit hard on $45 million over 3….desparate?
Or smart. Could go either way. Season will tell. It is a big amount, hoping it was a smart move.
They still need to add a rookie wr also in draft.