Cooper Kupp

Examining Final Stage Of WR Trade Market

October 31st, 2024 at 10:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

The top dominoes on the wide receiver trade market have likely fallen. Third-round picks changed hands in the Davante Adams and Amari Cooper swaps, and DeAndre Hopkins will join Adams as a Hall of Fame candidate — one who can now bolster his case by moving the needle for a Chiefs threepeat bid.

Diontae Johnson also wound up in a second trade this year, albeit for lower-than-expected compensation. This offseason also brought the likes of Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen and Jerry Jeudy being traded, marking another busy year — both contractually and transactionally — at the position.

More pieces figure to be moved before the deadline. Here is where things stand with the remaining trade chips at the receiver position:

Likely departures

Darius Slayton, Giants

This Giants regime attempted to move on from Slayton two years ago, leaving the proven target out of the starting lineup into training camp and cutting his pay on a rookie contract. Slayton ended up mattering quite a bit in Brian Daboll‘s first year, which produced a surprise playoff berth despite Kadarius Toney and Kenny Golladay producing next to nothing and Sterling Shepard and Wan’Dale Robinson suffering season-ending injuries. Slayton, as he has throughout his career, remained a reliable albeit unspectacular Daniel Jones weapon. Slayton, 27, has led the Giants in receiving four times since being a 2019 fifth-round pick but has never eclipsed 800 yards, illustrating the long-running issues plaguing this aerial attack.

Malik Nabers arrived as a result of those issues (and the Patriots passing on the Giants’ trade-up bid for Drake Maye), but Slayton has not been marginalized. The sixth-year wideout, with 420 yards in eight games, is on pace for a career-high total. He continues to aid Jones, but with the Giants falling to 2-6 and having a Commanders matchup on tap, teams will call on Slayton. Linked to several big-name receivers this year, the Steelers are believed to be interested. The Texans may be lurking as well.

Just more than $1.3MM remains on Slayton’s through-2024 contract, and although a recent report pointed to a high asking price, this remains the best chance for the Giants to collect an asset for a player they did not extend — despite the veteran’s efforts to secure better terms — this offseason.

Mike Williams, Jets

Williams is 30, coming off an ACL tear and on a team that has rendered him to the periphery following the Adams acquisition. The free agency pickup combined for one reception since Adams’ Week 7 debut and has just 11 catches for 160 yards in eight games as a Jet. With Allen Lazard regaining steam with Aaron Rodgers healthy, it is unsurprising the Jets started shopping Williams in earnest immediately after the Adams trade. Just more than $2.3MM will remain on the former top-10 pick’s contract after tonight’s game; the Jets will wait until after their Week 9 matchup to see if a worthwhile offer emerges.

Considering the rumor volume here, enough smoke exists to predict a second Williams separation from a team this year. The Saints and Steelers have pursued him, though at 2-6, New Orleans no longer profiles as a buyer despite being in on Adams weeks ago. The Jets also are in a seller’s position, though GM Joe Douglas‘ job being on the line may keep the subtractions to a minimum. The Chargers are 4-3 and have inquired about bringing the 2017 draftee back, despite cutting him in March.

Lazard’s Thursday IR placement does throw a wrench in teams’ potential plans to trade for Williams. He was previously viewed as a near-certainty to be dealt. It would be interesting if that injury prompted the Jets to take Williams off the market due to the high-stakes circumstances tied to this season.

A to-be-determined Patriot

Three separate Pats wideouts — K.J. Osborn, Tyquan Thornton and trade-rumor fixture Kendrick Bourne — have been tied to potential moves. At 2-6, New England will need to aim for some moves before next week’s deadline. Bourne, 29, has indicated he would like to stay to help the team’s Drake Maye-fronted rebuild. In addition to Thornton being one of many highly drafted Bill Belichick wideouts who have failed to take off in Foxborough, second-year target Kayshon Boutte has griped about his role.

This fluid situation will almost definitely involve one trade. Osborn, Bourne’s rumor regularity notwithstanding, may be the more likely veteran piece New England deals. The Pats are believed to be shopping he and Bourne, despite the latter having re-signed (on a three-year, $19MM deal) in March. The 49ers, who wanted Bourne back during Brandon Aiyuk trade talks with the Patriots this summer, appear to be standing down at the position following Aiyuk’s injury. The Pats signed Osborn for one year and $4MM, but just $1.18MM consists of base salary, providing relative value for teams, as Osborn has two 600-plus-yard seasons as a Vikings slot on his resume.

Calls coming in

Tee Higgins, Bengals

Carson Palmer‘s quasi-retirement and a Jason Campbell injury producing a monster offer (first- and second-rounders) brought the Bengals to make a deadline trade; Carlos Dunlap becoming a malcontent before the 2020 deadline keyed another such move. Teams have asked about Higgins for a while, as the former second-rounder requested a trade in March. Despite a failure to complete an extension with Ja’Marr Chase this offseason, the Bengals have made it clear the younger WR is their long-term priority.

Higgins is tied to a $21.8MM franchise tag tender, being the only 2024 tag recipient not extended this offseason. Couple that $10MM-plus salary number, if traded after Week 9, and the Bengals’ past and it is a mortal lock the longtime Chase wingman finishes the season in Cincinnati. Higgins, 25, could be re-tagged in 2025, giving the Bengals another window to move on if/once they hold onto him at this year’s deadline.

Cooper Kupp, Rams

The Rams made news earlier this month by both confirming they had received calls on Kupp and a separate report suggesting the team was shopping him. The Chiefs, Bills and Steelers are among the teams to discuss Kupp with the Rams; Kansas City is believed to have preferred Kupp to the player ultimately acquired (Hopkins). But the Rams have won two straight, the second of which featuring Kupp and Puka Nacua back at work.

Sean McVay has all but confirmed Kupp is not going anywhere, and the Rams — who had wanted a return that surpassed the Adams price (conditional third-round pick) — have the former triple-crown winner signed through 2026.

D.K. Metcalf, Seahawks

At this season’s outset, Deebo Samuel appeared much less likely than Metcalf to play out a three-year contract inked during training camp in 2022. Now, Samuel is back as the 49ers’ No. 1 wideout (thanks to Aiyuk’s injury) and Metcalf is drawing trade interest. Calls have come in on the sixth-year pass catcher, who is tied to a three-year, $72MM extension that runs through 2025. The Seahawks, however, are not expected to move their top wideout.

Paired with Tyler Lockett for six seasons, Metcalf is a more appealing trade option due to his age (26). Lockett is 32, and while it is worth wondering the Seahawks would be more amenable to moving the older player, no rumors have swirled there. Seattle has hired a new coaching staff and would drop to 4-5 with a loss to Los Angeles this weekend, but it appears the Mike Macdonald-run team will stick with the big-bodied target throughout the season before potentially reassessing ahead of his contract year.

On trade radar

Jakobi Meyers, Raiders

The Raiders did extensive work on the past two quarterback classes, going elsewhere in 2023 and then seeing an effort to trade up for Jayden Daniels predictably fail this year. Las Vegas is between eras at quarterback, with a flood of rumors set to tie the team to the 2025 class undoubtedly coming soon.

The team already picked up a Jets 2025 third-rounder, but with Meyers initially signed to continue working under his three-year Patriots OC (Josh McDaniels), he makes sense as a trade chip as well. Although the Raiders were rumored to want to keep the sixth-year vet, teams are monitoring his status. The Texans, whose GM (Nick Caserio) was in place when the Pats signed Meyers as a UDFA, may be one of them. Meyers’ three-year, $33MM deal runs through 2025; no guarantees are on the accord post-2024.

Josh Palmer, Chargers

Drafted by current Raiders GM Tom Telesco, Palmer is not believed to be in the Jim Harbaugh-run Chargers’ plans much longer. The former third-round pick has been productive in recent years, as injuries to Mike Williams and Keenan Allen proved frequent in that span.

Capable of playing inside and outside, Palmer would be of interest to a team that misses on Slayton — if, in fact, the six-year Giant is moved. The Bolts are believed to be open trading Palmer, potentially wanting someone else to fill in alongside new top target Ladd McConkey. Palmer appears likely to leave as a free agent in March, so it is logical — even at 4-3 — for the Chargers to consider moving on now.

Courtland Sutton, Broncos

Never one to be excluded from rumors during one of the NFL’s trade windows, Sutton remains the Broncos’ top wideout. His purpose is now boosting Bo Nix‘s development, which is going better than most expected. As Nix won NFL Rookie of the Month honors for October, Sutton is still coming up as a candidate to be moved. The Steelers are interested, to the point they may have the ex-Russell Wilson weapon as their lead trade target. This is old hat for the seventh-year player, who has been coming up in trade rumors since the 2022 deadline. Sean Payton confirmed his WR1 drew more interest this year.

Sutton, 29, is tied to a four-year, $60MM deal — one that has become rather team-friendly, especially with no 2025 guarantees in place — that features just a $1.13MM base salary. Because the Broncos restructured the deal for cost-saving purposes, Sutton would tag them with more than $15MM in dead money — an amount that would be spread between this year and next in the event of a trade. The low salary would appeal to trade suitors, but with Wilson set to count more than $30MM against the Broncos’ 2025 cap, taking on another chunk of dead money now would be a curious strategy. Sutton’s exit would come as strange due to his importance to Nix’s growth and the Broncos having declined a third-round offer from the 49ers in August.

Jonathan Mingo, Adam Thielen, Panthers

Thielen is a 34-year-old receiver on a Panthers team early in a rebuild. No guarantees remain on the ex-Viking’s three-year, $25MM contract for 2025, making him a logical trade candidate. This topic came up recently, and despite the Panthers trading Johnson already, it is doubtful they would pass on offers to keep Thielen, who profiles as a 2025 cut candidate. The former Minnesota UDFA, who tacked on a third 1,000-yard season to his resume last season, remains in the IR-return window after a hamstring injury.

A 2023 second-round pick who has not thus far justified his draft slot, Mingo came up recently as a player who is probably not part of the Panthers’ long-term plans. Mingo may have more trade value, despite the accomplishment gap between these Carolina targets, due to his age and contract status. The Ole Miss alum’s rookie deal runs through 2026, though he is sitting on just 12 catches for 121 yards despite not missing a game this season.

Chiefs Preferred Cooper Kupp To DeAndre Hopkins?

October 29th, 2024 at 1:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Patrick Mahomes‘ status as the league’s most accomplished active quarterback notwithstanding, the Chiefs’ megastar has not been nearly as productive over the past two seasons compared to his stratospheric first five as Kansas City’s starter. The two-time defending champions attempted to reignite their cornerstone player by revamping their receiving corps this offseason, but injuries intervened.

Rashee Rice is out for the season, and Marquise Brown is done for at least the regular season. Xavier Worthy is still developing, not yet offering much consistency despite his first-round draft status. With JuJu Smith-Schuster going down with a hamstring issue in Week 7, the Chiefs gave Mahomes another piece by acquiring DeAndre Hopkins from the Titans. Hopkins, who cost only a conditional fifth-round pick to acquire, debuted for his new team in Week 8.

The Chiefs had pursued Hopkins in a trade with the Cardinals last year and then made him an incentive-laden offer in free agency. Although they had done plenty of work on the potential Hall of Famer, the Chiefs may have been more interested in a player who recently came up in trade rumors. Before finalizing a Hopkins swap, the Chiefs engaged in talks with the Rams on Cooper Kupp. Kansas City looks to have preferred Kupp to Hopkins, per the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora, but multiple factors kept the former Super Bowl MVP in Los Angeles.

The Rams may well have dangled Kupp, but they were mostly believed to be on the receiving end of calls rather than making them. L.A. wanted a second-round pick, and while the team was open to taking on some of Kupp’s remaining base salary (nearly $9MM ahead of Week 9), Kansas City was not in position to acquire a player with a lofty paragraph 5 number. The Chiefs and Titans are splitting the Hopkins tab, with the acquiring team having the 12th-year vet on its 2024 payroll at $5.56MM.

Kansas City restructured Jawaan Taylor‘s contract to create space for Hopkins, who is playing out a two-year deal worth $26MM. The Taylor adjustment, per ESPN.com’s Field Yates, created $5.3MM in cap space. Kansas City has not seen the right tackle addition live up to expectations, and the base-to-bonus restructure will make him more difficult to part ways with down the line. Taylor’s 2025 salary is already guaranteed, however, so this adjustment would stand to affect a 2026 separation.

As for Kupp, the Rams effectively took him off the market not long after the trade rumors swirled. Kupp and Puka Nacua returned in Week 8, helping the Rams upset the Vikings. L.A. is one game out of the NFC West lead and figures to use its standout receivers to make another playoff push, health-permitting, rather than unload a player who has contributed so much to the cause since he was drafted in Sean McVay‘s first year as HC.

Indeed, multiple GMs informed La Canfora they do not expect the 31-year-old wideout to be moved. Kupp’s injury past and the Rams’ high asking price never seemed to support a trade. Kupp is still signed through the 2026 season; $5MM in guarantees remain on the three-year, $80.1MM contract following this season.

The Chiefs will move forward with Hopkins, who stands to help free up space for Worthy, Travis Kelce and Co. as a now-defense-powered version of Andy Reid‘s juggernaut will attempt to hold off challengers in the coming months.

Bills, Steelers Discussed WR Cooper Kupp With Rams

October 27th, 2024 at 9:15am CST by Sam Robinson

Before agreeing to acquire Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the Chiefs entered discussions with the Rams on Cooper Kupp. Los Angeles was believed to be discussing the former All-Pro with teams, something Sean McVay confirmed after the team’s upset win over the Vikings on Thursday.

McVay, however, all but slammed the door on a Kupp trade before the Nov. 5 deadline. Other AFC teams joined the Chiefs, however, in discussing Kupp. The Bills and Steelers engaged in talks with the Rams, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.

For Buffalo, this effort most likely came before the team agreed to acquire Amari Cooper from Cleveland. While it would be interesting if the Bills pursued both players, especially as the Cooper trade only resulted in an $806K cap number hitting the perennial AFC East champions’ books, it seems logical the team explored Kupp and then centered its trade effort on Cooper. The Browns were preparing to hold onto Cooper for a bit longer, but the Bills’ interest — as their post-Stefon Diggs receiver plan showed early cracks — proved aggressive enough the struggling AFC North club moved on from the contract-year player ahead of Week 7.

The Steelers’ receiver need has been well chronicled, dating back to the draft. Pittsburgh joined Buffalo in showing interest in Deebo Samuel, as the 49ers discussed both he and Brandon Aiyuk in trades. Aiyuk then became Pittsburgh’s target — to the point trade framework was in place by August. The Steelers then saw Aiyuk remove them from consideration by recommitting to the 49ers via a four-year, $120MM deal. The now-Russell Wilson-quarterbacked team was also in on Davante Adams, only to see the ex-Packers star prefer to rejoin Aaron Rodgers with the Jets, who took on the recent Raider’s entire 2024 prorated salary — something other teams have been hesitant to do.

The Rams were seen as willing to pick up part of Kupp’s tab. It would cost just less than $9MM for a team to acquire Kupp this week, but with the Rams winning two straight the Kupp-Puka Nacua tandem making a significant impact in the team’s upset victory over the Vikings, the Rams standing down checks out. Kupp, 31, is signed for two more seasons — on the three-year, $80.1MM deal he inked months after his Super Bowl MVP showing — and could be an offseason trade candidate. Kupp would stand to built trade value by staying healthy — something he has failed to do since that stratospheric 2021 season — down the stretch.

With Kupp off the market and Adams, Cooper and Hopkins also dealt, the Steelers reside in an interesting position. The receiver most likely to be moved played five seasons in Pittsburgh. The Panthers are expected to deal Diontae Johnson, who had angled for a trade out of Pittsburgh. It should be considered unlikely the Steelers pay a mid-round pick to acquire one of their former wideouts. Beyond Johnson, the likes of Mike Williams, Christian Kirk, Adam Thielen and Patriots vets Kendrick Bourne and K.J. Osborn are seen as trade candidates.

It seems probable Steelers finally pull the trigger on a trade. Although slot player Calvin Austin has contributed 203 receiving yards to the cause, none of the Steelers’ other George Pickens sidekicks have cleared 80 yards through seven games. With the team at 5-2 and sporting a high-end defensive unit, a buyer trade to help Wilson should be on the way. But options have dwindled since the team began this quest.

Sean McVay: Rams Not Expecting To Trade Cooper Kupp

October 25th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

10:00pm: McVay confirmed on Friday (via Rodrigue) he and the Rams expect Kupp to remain in place past the deadline. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero added during a Rich Eisen Show appearance that while talks have taken place regarding a trade, no such conversations have reached the level where a deal has appeared imminent (video link). Especially with Los Angeles back in the thick of the NFC West race, it would take a notable turn of events for Kupp to find himself on the move.

9:17am: Since reports of a potential Cooper Kupp trade began surfacing, the Rams have won two games and are now one game out of the NFC West lead. As such, they are less likely to be sellers.

The team saw Kupp and Puka Nacua‘s return to action make a considerable difference against the Vikings on Thursday night. The duo combined for 12 receptions, 157 yards and a touchdown in Week 8. Matthew Stafford threw four touchdown passes, providing a ray of hope during an injury-plagued Los Angeles season.

Days after a report suggested the Rams were calling teams on Kupp, Sean McVay did not sound too eager to break up this WR duo. The eighth-year Rams HC said postgame he expects Kupp to stay with the team, though McVay did confirm (via The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue) teams have called. Kupp, 31, remains signed through the 2026 season — on the three-year, $80.1MM deal he signed months after his Super Bowl LVI MVP effort — and has an injury history that would stand to give teams pause about taking on that contract.

Kupp is also due a $5MM guarantee in 2025. While the Rams have been willing to take on some of the former All-Pro’s remaining 2024 salary — roughly $8MM — an acquiring team would be responsible for that $5MM payment next year. Kupp is tied to base salaries of $12.5MM and $14.85MM — the latter amount nonguaranteed — in 2025 and ’26. The two future salaries would be less of a deterrent than Kupp’s 2024 money and the fact he has missed 17 games since Super Bowl LVI.

The Rams have also informed teams they would want a trade haul that surpasses where the Jets went for Davante Adams. New York agreed to take on all of Adams’ remaining 2024 salary and sent Las Vegas a conditional third-round pick. The Chiefs discussed Kupp with the Rams before agreeing to acquire DeAndre Hopkins from the Titans. Given the Rams’ form with Kupp and Nacua back in the fold, trading the older member of the tandem for a modest return would be a tough sell. Though, keeping Kupp will also bring risk due to his struggles staying healthy.

Thursday’s win also came with the Rams missing two offensive line starters. They will almost certainly not pull the trigger on a seller’s trade until after their Week 9 Seahawks matchup, as the prospect looms of Steve Avila and free agency addition Jonah Jackson returning. Both are eligible to be activated from IR.

Rams Mandating Cooper Kupp’s Trade Price Exceed Davante Adams’

October 24th, 2024 at 9:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

A report indicating the Rams are making calls to teams on Cooper Kupp may have been overstating how interested the NFC West franchise is in moving its top Los Angeles 2.0-era wide receiver. Kupp’s name remains in trade rumors, but the Rams may have a price floor.

Tuesday’s report pointed to the Rams targeting a second-round pick to the point they would be willing to pay some of Kupp’s salary to secure such a return. Thursday, SI.com’s Albert Breer said (during a Rich Eisen Show appearance) teams are calling the Rams on Kupp. In order to move the former All-Pro and Super Bowl MVP, Breer adds the Rams want a return that outflanks what the Raiders received for Davante Adams.

The teams still hunting for WR help have undoubtedly noticed the Rams’ early-season struggles, leading to inquiries about Kupp. We heard before the Rams’ win over the Raiders that Kupp had drawn trade interest, but as the receiver prepares to return tonight along with Puka Nacua, his current team is probably not committed to selling just yet. The Rams travel to Seattle following their Vikings matchup; their next two results could determine how willing they are to sell.

It cost the Jets a conditional third-round pick to acquire Adams from the Raiders. Las Vegas could have upped that, in all likelihood, had a mandate not been in place for an acquiring team to pick up all of Adams’ prorated 2024 base salary. The Jets did so and agreed on terms that would send a second-rounder to the Raiders if certain conditions are met. Adams is unlikely to satisfy the conditions, as he would need to earn first- or second-team All-Pro acclaim (in a season that has already featured three missed games) or he would need to suit up for an AFC championship game.

If the Rams enter serious Kupp trade talks, they would probably need to pay a sizable portion of his base salary to net a second-rounder. Just less than $9MM remains on Kupp’s 2024 base salary. Though, he is due $5MM in 2025 guarantees, presenting another complication here. The Rams have Kupp signed through 2026 via the three-year, $80.1MM extension agreed to months after his triple-crown season concluded. As they could regroup and hope the 31-year-old target can stay healthy. If they are to move on now, Breer notes teams have been informed the price will need to be higher than Adams’.

While Adams has never matched Kupp’s dominance from 2021, the former Packers and Raiders standout has been far more consistent. Kupp has put together just two 1,000-yard seasons, with injuries consistently interfering. Kupp has an ACL tear (2018) on his medical sheet, and he underwent tightrope surgery to repair an injured ankle in 2022. Kupp saw a hamstring specialist due to a nagging issue that delayed his 2023 debut and has only played in two games due to an ankle malady this season. This health history, even with the Rams taking on plenty of base salary, will give teams pause on Kupp as a hired gun.

Responsible for the second-best receiving yardage season in NFL history, Kupp added 478 yards and six touchdowns in the 2021 playoffs. Only Larry Fitzgerald (2008) has bettered that yardage figure in a single postseason, with Kupp passing Hakeem Nicks‘ strong 2011 work. Kupp’s dominance that year has increased his standing in L.A., with Breer posits the optics of giving up Kupp for a third- or fourth-round return may factor into this Rams equation.

It will be interesting to see if the Rams drop their price or if this truly is a “take it or leave it” situation for a player who was part of Sean McVay‘s first draft class. The Chiefs discussed Kupp with the Rams before adding DeAndre Hopkins for a conditional fifth. The Rams have an extra week to determine their sales path, with this year’s deadline being moved to Nov. 5.

Chiefs Acquire DeAndre Hopkins From Titans

October 23rd, 2024 at 9:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

9:59pm: Tennessee is set to pay $2.5MM of Hopkins’ remaining base salary, Rapoport tweets. This will cover roughly half of Hopkins’ remaining total. The $2.5MM will be paid out as a signing bonus, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.

As far as conditions go, the Chiefs will need to qualify for Super Bowl LIX with Hopkins playing 60% of the snaps during the regular season for the pick to climb from a fifth- to a fourth-rounder.

7:15am: The wide receiver market’s latest domino involves the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions. Decimated at the position, the Chiefs are making their move. They are expected to acquire DeAndre Hopkins from the Titans, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports.

Kansas City pursued Hopkins via trade and made a free agency offer — once the Cardinals ended up cutting him — in 2023. The team will circle back to the decorated pass catcher, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reporting Kansas City is sending a conditional fifth-round pick to Tennessee for Hopkins. Should conditions be met, Tennessee’s pick can rise to a fourth. A Super Bowl appearance will likely factor into the conditions, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets.

Cooper Kupp also came up during the Chiefs’ WR search, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, but financial issues impeded them regarding a deal with the Rams. The Chiefs, who sit in the bottom quartile in terms of cap space ($4.16MM entering Wednesday), required a team who would take on a departing player’s salary to fill their receiver need. The Titans are expected to eat some of Hopkins’ salary, Russini adds. It does not appear the Rams are prepared to eat a significant chunk of Kupp’s 2024 base.

The Chiefs were again connected to Hopkins recently, and it appears the Titans will pay some of the veteran’s prorated base salary to acquire the Day 3 pick. A $4.86MM tab remains on Hopkins’ 2024 base on a two-year, $26MM deal — one that proved too rich for the Chiefs during their 2023 free agency pursuit. Still finalizing the deal, the Chiefs are preparing to have Hopkins in uniform for their Week 8 Raiders matchup, Russini adds.

Hopkins, 32, has struggled to establish consistency this season. But that has been an issue across the Titans’ pass offense, as big-ticket free agency pickup Calvin Ridley has also failed to produce much in the way of consequence in a Tennessee passing attack featuring Will Levis and Mason Rudolph at the controls. Hopkins has 15 receptions for 173 yards and one touchdown this season.

Although the Chiefs did extensive work on Hopkins in 2023, Rapoport indicates this trade did not gain steam until early this week. The team was targeting a player who could help inside and in the red zone, NFL Network’s Peter Schrager reports. A player who thrived on contested catches at his peak, Hopkins is not at this Texans-era apex any longer. But he has 79 career TDs and is coming off a 1,000-yard season.

Down both Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown for the season, the Chiefs had been reliant on players they reacquired. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman played roles for the depleted WR cadre, but the former is now down with a hamstring injury. The Chiefs’ Xavier Worthy first-round pick has delivered flashes, but the Texas-developed speedster has not offered consistency yet. Hopkins will stand to help the team in that department, providing help as a possession receiver to help free up the likes of Worthy and Travis Kelce.

This move comes barely a week after the Jets and Bills made their WR strikes, with both Davante Adams and Amari Cooper heading to New York. Carrying a lower ceiling at this point in his career, Hopkins will change teams for a lower price. Having battled injuries since his second Cardinals season, the three-time first-team All-Pro missed several weeks with a knee malady this summer. Hopkins, however, returned in time for Week 1 and has not missed a game. Considering the Chiefs’ in-house injury problems, it is clear they feel confident their new piece can stay healthy.

Hopkins loomed as a bigger trade piece in 2023, when countless rumors emerged about the receiver amid a Cardinals regime change. The former Texans star had loomed as a player the Monti Ossenfort-led front office was set to move on from, and the Chiefs came up on Hopkins’ list of preferred destinations. The Chiefs discussed Hopkins with the Cardinals, joining the Bills in that regard. But those talks broke down for salary reasons. Hopkins, who had signed a $27.5MM-per-year extension with the Cards, became unwilling to discuss taking a pay cut to facilitate a trade upon learning the Ravens gave Odell Beckham Jr. a fully guaranteed $15MM. The Cardinals then cut him.

While the Chiefs did not join the Titans and Patriots in hosting Hopkins as a free agent last summer, they made an offer. The allure of playing with Patrick Mahomes did not supersede what was viewed as a far superior Titans proposal, with Hopkins signing a two-year, $26MM deal with the then-Mike Vrabel-led Titans. Kansas City and New England are believed to have offered incentive-laden deals that came in well short of where Tennessee did.

Hopkins joined a team then quarterbacked by Ryan Tannehill, but the Titans quickly geared their mission around Levis. Hopkins played a central role in Levis’ rookie-year development, and despite the second-round pick struggling, his top receiver cranked out a seventh 1,000-yard season. Hopkins totaled 1,057 yards last year. This was off the pace he had set in Houston and during his first Arizona season, but the four-contract player — initially a 2013 Texans first-round pick — showed he could still contribute. Hopkins played all 17 games last season, representing an important selling point.

Benching Tannehill during what turned out to be Vrabel’s final season, the Titans heard from teams on Hopkins before last year’s deadline. They passed on moving both he and Derrick Henry. After Henry walked in free agency, the Titans again received interest on their oldest wide receiver. Hopkins had expressed a desire to finish his career in Tennessee, and the Titans were not believed to be shopping him. But they will move on from the contract-year player for a late-round pick.

The Rams are seeking a second-rounder for Kupp, who is only one year younger than Hopkins. Kupp, however, produced one of the greatest seasons in wide receiver history in 2021 and has been highly productive when healthy since. The latter caveat, coupled with a higher salary, will hurt the Rams’ negotiating position. The Titans have Ridley on a four-year, $92MM deal; the 1-5 team will keep building around around the recent free agency addition while saying goodbye to their 2023 free agent prize.

This marks the third straight year the Chiefs have acquired a wideout via trade in-season. Their Kadarius Toney swing ultimately backfired, despite a Super Bowl-record punt return, with the team cutting the shifty but unreliable ex-first-rounder in August. Hardman delivered the Super Bowl LVIII walk-off touchdown and re-signed with the team. The Chiefs will likely continue to involve Hardman in their offense, but the still-Kelce-centered passing attack will now heavily feature Hopkins alongside Worthy.

Rams Calling Teams On Cooper Kupp

October 22nd, 2024 at 9:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Rams have been waiting on the returns of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, playing most of the season without Matthew Stafford‘s top weapons. Kupp is expected back in Week 8, but trade rumors surrounding the former first-team All-Pro are gaining steam.

Ahead of the Rams’ Thursday matchup with the Vikings, they have received trade inquiries. It was not known if Los Angeles was prepared to entertain offers for Kupp, but it turns out this could be a live market. The Rams are now calling teams on the former Super Bowl MVP, The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue, Dianna Russini and Mike Silver report. L.A. has called multiple teams on Kupp.

Kupp is tied to a lofty three-year, $80.1MM extension — one agreed to during an offseason in which the Rams also paid Stafford and Aaron Donald — but The Athletic reports the team is willing to pay some of Kupp’s remaining salary, as the goal in a potential swap will be a second-round pick. Kupp’s contract runs through 2026. The Rams owe Kupp $5MM guaranteed in 2025, though his ’25 base is only $12.5MM. It would cost the Rams more than $25MM in dead money to move on, but the bulk of that sum would be absorbed in 2025.

This would be a seismic move from a Rams team that has generally been on the buyer’s side of in-season trades during Sean McVay‘s tenure. It would also leave Stafford in limbo, given the close connection he has formed with Kupp and the team having lost Donald to retirement this offseason.

Just less than $9MM remains on Kupp’s 2024 base salary. Kupp has not lived up to his third Rams contract, going down with injuries in each of the past three years. That would stand to diminish his trade value, but the Rams should have a market if they are truly willing to part with the 31-year-old WR talent.

Three years ago, the Rams sent the Broncos second- and third-round picks for Von Miller, who was rehabbing a minor injury at the time, and saw him join Donald, Stafford, Kupp and Co. to help produce a Super Bowl title. Denver paid almost all of Miller’s remaining 2021 salary to boost trade compensation. Now, the Rams — despite having beaten the Raiders en route to a 2-4 mark achieved largely without Kupp and Nacua — appear prepared to move into a seller’s position.

That year, Stafford and Kupp formed an immediate connection that powered one of the greatest season by a wide receiver in NFL history. Kupp completed the rare triple-crown effort by leading the league with 145 receptions for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdown catches. Kupp continued his brilliance in the playoffs, adding 33 more catches, 478 yards and six touchdowns — including the Super Bowl LVI game-winner — to the Rams’ championship effort. Kupp’s reliability saved a team that had lost WR2 Odell Beckham Jr. in the first half, with the in-season addition going down weeks after Robert Woods was lost for the season.

Despite the Rams having paid Kupp and Woods in 2020, another deal for the ascending slot target commenced. Kupp, however, has missed 18 games since signing that extension. Ankle trouble slowed him in 2022, ending a season that also saw Stafford and Donald go down during a woeful Super Bowl title defense. Kupp began last season late due to nagging hamstring issues but did return to play 12 games alongside Nacua. With more ankle trouble plaguing Kupp this year, the Rams look to be gauging the market.

This marks a change from last season, when the Rams received calls on Kupp, Stafford and Donald but did not shop any of the cornerstones. Donald retired at season’s end, and Stafford has been asked to operate his age-36 campaign without both his top receivers and tight end Tyler Higbee. Kupp stepped up for an injured Nacua in Week 1, totaling 14 catches for 110 yards in a loss to the Lions. He went down in Week 2, being part of an injury brigade that has limited the Rams significantly on offense. The Rams, however, have kept Kupp on their active roster — unlike Nacua, who has been on IR since mid-September.

Neither Davante Adams nor Amari Cooper has produced a season like the one Kupp delivered in 2021, but both the recently traded standouts have been healthier. Even if the Rams pay down most of Kupp’s remaining salary, landing a second-rounder for Kupp figures to be difficult due to his recent maladies. Kupp also has an ACL tear on his medical sheet, having gone down midway through the Rams’ first McVay-era Super Bowl season. The former third-round pick posted his first 1,000-yard slate a year later, leading to the Rams’ first extension for the Division I-FCS product.

It will be interesting to see if the Rams find a team that is willing to part with Day 2 compensation for Kupp. The Steelers have been shopping for a wideout for months, while the Saints also missed out on Adams. Clubs may not be too eager to deal with the Chiefs, given their threepeat pursuit, but Kansas City lost JuJu Smith-Schuster with a short-term injury and has been in the market since seeing Rashee Rice follow Marquise Brown in sustaining a season-ending injury. That said, NFC teams stand to be less concerned about arming the Chiefs compared to AFC franchises. It would surprise if the two-time reigning champs did not call (or were not contacted) on Kupp.

WR Cooper Kupp Expected Back Week 8

October 20th, 2024 at 9:04pm CST by Ely Allen

Two weeks ago, the Rams were hoping to have star receiver Cooper Kupp back by this weekend. Unfortunately, after a week of limited participation in practice, Kupp was held out once again today. According to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop, though, head coach Sean McVay expects Kupp back in time for this Thursday’s matchup against the Vikings.

Kupp, 31, sustained an ankle injury during the second quarter of the Rams’ loss to the Cardinals in Week 2, and he has been sidelined ever since. He was initially mentioned as an injured reserve candidate, but subsequent reports indicated that he would avoid IR. The decision to keep Kupp on the active roster naturally led to optimism that he would be back on the field sooner rather than later. That optimism grew when it became clear that he would not require surgery on the affected ankle.

After his dominant 2021 season, in which he led the league in receptions (145), yards (1,947), and receiving touchdowns (16) and took home Super Bowl MVP honors, Kupp landed a three-year, $80MM extension. Unfortunately, a high ankle sprain cut the ensuing 2022 campaign short, and he opened the 2023 season on IR with a hamstring ailment.

He started off the 2024 season hot, racking up 18 catches for 147 yards and a TD in less than six quarters of play. When healthy, he and Puka Nacua represent one of the best WR tandems in the game, and there is some hope that Nacua will also be able to suit up soon, as he is now eligible to be activated off of injured reserve. The healthy and productive return of the Kupp-Nacua duo will go a long way in determining whether the Rams can reverse their fortunes and make another postseason run.

While Nacua may still need some time to recover and practice, it appears that Kupp is on the cusp of a return. Kupp’s return to the field will be well-received by an offense that has depended on Tutu Atwell, Jordan Whittington, and Tyler Johnson in recent weeks.

Rams’ Cooper Kupp Drawing Trade Interest

October 19th, 2024 at 9:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

Two high-profile receiver trades took place this week, and Davante Adams and Amari Cooper are now off the market. Several other options at that position represent targets for contending teams, though, and Cooper Kupp is one of them.

The Adams and Cooper deals generated increased communication amongst teams for other potential trades, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network details. Among the teams receiving calls were the Rams, with contenders eyeing Kupp as a possible mid-season acquisition. It remains to be seen how interested Los Angeles will be in considering any deal sending the All-Pro to a new team for the first time in his career, but it is certainly noteworthy that suitors are gauging his market.

Kupp has been a focal point in the Rams’ passing game throughout his eight-year career, one which of course reached its peak in 2021. That Triple Crown-winning campaign saw him post 145 receptions, 1,947 yards 16 touchdowns en route to Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl MVP honors. Injuries have been an issue since then, however, and Kupp has been sidelined since Week 2 of the current campaign with an ankle injury. The Rams expect to have him back on Sunday.

Especially with 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year runner-up Puka Nacua still out of the picture, having Kupp available for Los Angeles will provide a major boost on offense. With the team sitting at 1-4 on the year, improved performance in all areas will be needed for a postseason berth to be possible in 2024. Further losses ahead of the November 5 trade deadline could steer the Rams toward a seller’s standpoint, although even in that case moving Kupp would not be a simple process.

The 31-year-old remains attached to the extension he landed in June 2022. That pact leaves him on the books through 2026, a stark contrast to the situation for many other players (generally pending free agents) who get moved during the season. Kupp is due $20MM next year, including a $7.5MM roster bonus to be paid out in March; $5MM of the latter figure became guaranteed this past offseason. He is set to carry a $29.78MM cap hit in 2025, and that will drop to $27.33MM the following year (during which none of his base salary is guaranteed). Any acquiring team would no doubt engage in a restructure in the event Kupp were to be dealt.

The Rams’ 2024 offseason saw Aaron Donald retire, leaving them without a foundational defender. Quarterback Matthew Stafford – who, along with Kupp, remains an offensive pillar – faced questions about his future before a restructured contract was worked out. At the age of 36, though, it would not come as a surprise if Loa Angeles were to explore a succession plan soon at the quarterback spot. Committing to a youth movement would make a Kupp trade more feasible from the Rams’ perspective, but they would no doubt command a heavy price to consider one.

Even without Adams or Cooper available anymore, the likes of Christian Kirk, DeAndre Hopkins, Mike Williams, Diontae Johnson and Darius Slayton have been connected to trade talk (to one extent or another) recently. Any or all of those could be targeted by contending teams, but Kupp is on the radar of potential buyers as well. His situation will be worth watching closely.

Rams Expect WR Cooper Kupp To Return In Week 7

October 6th, 2024 at 10:15am CST by Rory Parks

The Rams sit at the bottom of the NFC West with a 1-3 record, and injuries to some key players have contributed to their early struggles. Los Angeles has finally received some good news on the health front, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting that wide receiver Cooper Kupp is expected to return for the club’s Week 7 game against the Raiders on October 20 (the Rams have a Week 6 bye, so the hope is that today’s Week 5 bout with the Packers is the last game Kupp will miss).

Kupp, 31, sustained an ankle injury during the second quarter of LA’s loss to the Cardinals in Week 2, and he has been sidelined ever since. He was initially mentioned as an injured reserve candidate, although subsequent reports indicated that he would avoid IR.

The decision to keep Kupp on the active roster naturally led to optimism that he would be back on the field sooner rather than later, optimism that grew when it became clear that he would not require surgery on the ankle. As fellow wideout Puka Nacua’s knee injury forced the team to place him on IR, Kupp’s imminent return is surely a welcome development.

Of course, Schefter qualified his report with the caveat that Kupp will return in Week 7 “as long as there are no setbacks in practice.” Given the injury problems that have plagued the 2021 Triple Crown winner, the absence of setbacks cannot be assumed.

He started the 2024 season hot, racking up 18 catches for 147 yards and a TD in less than six quarters of play. When healthy, he and Nacua represent one of the best WR tandems in the game, and there is some hope that Nacua will also be able to suit up in Week 7, when he is first eligible to be activated. The healthy and productive return of the Kupp-Nacua duo will go a long way in determining whether the Rams can reverse their fortunes and make another postseason run.

Without his top two pass catchers, quarterback Matthew Stafford has turned to players like Demarcus Robinson, Tutu Atwell, Tyler Johnson, and Jordan Whittington. All of those wideouts have had their moments, but none of them have the upside of Kupp and Nacua.

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