Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp says team is looking to trade him "immediately"
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp said on social media that the team is looking to trade him immediately, ending his time with what he believed was going to be his only NFL team.
"I 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," Kupp said in a post on X. "I don't agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA."
The news comes weeks after the Rams fell to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL Divisional Round of the playoffs, 28-22.
Kupp, now 31, has long been an instrumental piece of the Los Angeles offense, ever since they drafted him in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Eastern Washington University.
He was the picture of consistency over his first few seasons, tallying 3,570 yards and 24 touchdowns on 288 receptions from 2017 to 2020.
When Matthew Stafford landed in LA via trade from the Detroit Lions, Kupp's threshold skyrocketed. He put together one of the best seasons ever for a wide receiver in 2021, snagging 16 touchdowns on 75 receptions for a whopping 1,947 yards. He finished third in the NFL MVP voting and took home the Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year and NFL All-Pro honors.
On top of all that, he was the Super Bowl LVI MVP for the Rams when they topped the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in front of the SoFi Stadium crowd.
"I have taken so much pride in playing alongside my teammates for the LA community, so thank you for embracing my family and making this such a special place for us," Kupp's message said.
Following that season though, Kupp has been mired in a number of injuries that kept him from playing a full season. He suited up in 33 games from 2022 to 202, failing to eclipse 1,000 yards or more than six touchdowns in any of those campaigns.
"2024 began with one of the best training camps of my career. Preparations start now for 2025. Highly motivated, as healthy as ever, and looking forward to playing elite football for years to come," Kupp's post said.
His name was floated around during trade talks last season, at which point he said that he would try not to focus on that and try to be the best Ram he could be.
The Rams locker room has become somewhat crowded in recent seasons, especially with the emergence of Puka Nacua, who largely filled Kupp's role when he was out with injury.
He took to X to share his own thoughts on the news.
"So I thought it was just the NBA trade season," Nacua's post said, alluding to the stunning trade that brought superstar guard Luka Dončić with the Lakers.
Kupp signed a three-year, $80.1 million deal with the Rams in 2022, and according to Spotrac, his cap hit to the Rams would be more than $29 million next year and over $27 million in 2026.
There's no official word on whether the Rams have found a trade partner yet or if a deal has been made.