Cooper Kupp’s future with the Los Angeles Rams is unsettled heading into the 2025 offseason, with trade speculation resurfacing after dying down post-deadline. Kupp remains uncertain himself, with Rams general manager Les Snead fueling speculation.
The 31-year-old wideout would have no shortage of suitors on the open market, but how and when the Rams would part ways is significant.
If it is a trade, a reunion with former Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield could be in order.
“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could lose Chris Godwin in free agency,” Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton wrote on January 23. “Tampa Bay may want a veteran reinforcement at wide receiver to draw some coverage away from Mike Evans.
“If Godwin signs elsewhere in free agency, Kupp could replace him as a receiver who can line up in the slot or outside.”
Lemme get a COOOOOP in the chat
📺: @NFLonNBC | #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/UimRgi8hSg— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 19, 2025
Kupp, 31, caught 67 passes for 710 yards and 6 touchdowns in 12 games during the 2024 regular season. He had a 6-90-0 line in the Rams’ two postseason games.
In Tampa, Kupp would reunite with Mayfield, whom he was teammates with during the 2022 season but did not play with after undergoing season-ending ankle surgery in November of that year. He could also follow Rams tight ends coach Nick Caley.
Caley interviewed for the Bucs’ offensive coordinator position vacated by Liam Coen.
Coen, now the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach, was the Rams’ OC during that 2022 season in which Kupp posted a 75-812-6 line before suffering his injury.
QB Situation Could Push Cooper Kupp to Joe Burrow, Bengals
GettyJoe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates a touchdown with Ja’Marr Chase #1 and Tee Higgins #5 against the New York Giants.
Moton suggested several other potential landing spots for Kupp, including the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, and Pittsburgh Steelers. However, Kupp has preexisting ties to another one of Moton’s suggestions: the Cincinnati Bengals.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was Kupp’s assistant position coach for the receiver’s rookie season before coaching Rams QBs in 2018 and moving on to the Bengals in 2019.
The Bengals also have their QB situation resolved with Joe Burrow.
“The Cincinnati Bengals could lose Tee Higgins in free agency,” Moton wrote. “Higgins and Mike Gesicki finished second and third, respectively, among Bengals’ pass-catchers in catches and receiving yards in 2024. Without them, Cincinnati doesn’t have a viable complement to Ja’Marr Chase in the aerial attack.”
“As the Bengals’ primary play-caller, Taylor could see Kupp as a trustworthy veteran who fits in his offense,” Moton wrote. “The Rams wideout could be drawn to playing with Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow as Matthew Stafford contemplates his future.”
Kupp could also be an option for the Jaguars with Coen as he looks to implement his system in Jacksonville.
He could also restructure his contract, which Over The Cap projects would free up $9.4 million.
However, the Rams explored trade options with Kupp during the season, per a staff report from The Athletic in October. And Snead did little to quell the speculation that Kupp could play elsewhere in 2025.
Rams GM Leaves Door Open for Cooper Kupp, Matthew Stafford Exits
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams talks with Cooper Kupp #10 during the NFL playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Snead’s comments in his end-of-season press conference fueled speculation around Kupp and Stafford’s respective futures with the team. Snead sidestepped questions about both players when asked directly.
“Macro-level, we’re talking about a subset of players – not just Matthew and Cooper, right? – that are coming to the end of their career, their contracts. They still have contracts with the Rams. Do you keep going forward with that same contract, do you, right, restructure it in some way?” Snead told reporters on January 24.
“Those are all issues we really got to sit down and talk through. Haven’t done it yet.”
Kupp voiced frustration with his lack of involvement in the offense when he was on the field, He has two seasons remaining on a three-year, $80.1 million contract and a $7.5 million roster bonus due in March.
He would like to be back in LA.
“Who knows what’s going to happen. A lot of stuff’s out of my control, and we’ll see what it’s going to be. There was, obviously, stuff [trade rumors] that was going on … early on the season, and we’ll see. I don’t have any clarity on what that’s going to look like or anything like that. So, yeah. Obviously, would love to be in LA, but I don’t know what that’s going to look like,” Kupp told reporters on January 20.
“There’s no doubt in my mind I want to play football. I feel like I got a lot of good football left in me. So, no, I definitely will be playing. I will be playing football next year. So, that much I know.”
According to Over The Cap, a post-June 1 trade would clear $20 million with a $9.8 million dead cap hit. That would allow the Rams to clear cap space with a relatively minimal penalty while also recouping assets for the one-time All-Pro, Pro Bowler, and Super Bowl champion.
That is only viable if Kupp is spared a move before his roster bonus is due in March.
