The Detroit Lions had one of their best seasons in franchise history in 2024. Detroit finished the regular season 15-2, which won them the NFC North division crown for the second consecutive season. It also earned them the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, something the Lions have never accomplished before. The Lions have also never won more than 12 games in the regular season before, so getting up to 15 wins is a big accomplishment.
Unfortunately, we all know how it ended. Detroit was absolutely ravaged with season-ending injuries on the defensive side of the ball, and it was their Achilles heel. The Lions lost to the Commanders during the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs. Now they must reload for another run at the Super Bowl during the 2025 season.
Naturally, the Lions will want to spend some resources improving their defense this offseason. Beyond injuries, the Lions have a serious lack of depth at edge rusher behind Aidan Hutchinson. They could also use even more players in their secondary, even after pumping a ton of resources into it last offseason.
However, the Lions are also deceptively thin at wide receiver. Detroit has been able to get by thanks to its diversified passing game that leans on tight end Sam LaPorta and both David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs out of the backfield. However, the Lions eventually need to add some depth at receiver in case Amon-Ra St. Brown or Jameson Williams ever suffer an injury.
This year's free agency class is pretty thin at wide receiver, which leaves Detroit with limited options for upgrading the position. If the Lions want to prioritize defense with draft picks, then a trade for a WR could be their best option.
Below we will explore one perfect trade offer the Lions must make to the Rams for veteran WR Cooper Kupp this offseason.
Lions can reunite Jared Goff and Cooper Kupp with this perfect trade proposal
Let's start with the trade terms.
Lions receive:
- WR Cooper Kupp
Rams receive:
- 2025 sixth-round pick (from Buccaneers)
- 2026 third-round pick
Before we get into the logistics of this trade, let's touch on the rationale one more time.
If the Lions decide to invest in a new wide receiver, they'll want some confidence in who they acquire. There may not be a better WR on the planet to add to a Jared Goff-led offense than Kupp. The pair had incredible chemistry in Los Angeles, especially during Kupp's breakout season in 2019.
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Kupp hauled in 94 receptions for 1,161 yards and 10 touchdown in 2019 and was Goff's go-to target.
Goff's history with Kupp means instant chemistry, something that you can't really put a price tag on. If the Lions were to add another offensive weapon, Kupp would be an awesome choice.
Lions GM Brad Holmes also came from the Rams organization and had a hand in drafting Kupp. We don't need to tell the Lions how valuable Kupp is because both Goff and Holmes know better than anyone.
From Kupp's perspective, Detroit could be an ideal landing spot.
The Rams have decided to find a new home for Kupp this offseason. When Kupp broke the news on Monday, he claimed that LA “will be working with me and my family to find the right place to continue competing for championships.”
This is important because it signals that Kupp has significant input in where he lands. The note about “competing for championships” also suggests that rebuilding teams may not be an option for Kupp.
The Lions are one of the best teams in the NFC and adding Kupp would only help. Add on Kupp's chemistry with Goff, and Detroit could be at the top of his wish list.
If this trade were to go down, the financial side should not be an issue in 2025. The Lions would inherit a $20 million cap hit with Kupp, which would still leave them with $27 million in cap space to work with. As for the Rams, they would receive $12.5 million in cap relief in 2025 and $27 million in 2026. This may be the most appealing aspect of the trade from LA's point of view.
As for compensation, something similar to the above package should be agreeable to both sides. The Rams may prioritize getting a valuable pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, assuming that the 2025 season will be a transition year. Meanwhile, Detroit has a pair of extra third-round compensatory picks to work with thanks to the Jets hiring Aaron Glenn as head coach. This makes it easy to send a future third away for Kupp.
Lions fans should keep their eyes peeled on this situation over the next month as the 2025 NFL offseason takes shape.
