I have to acknowledge that I agree with the Rams’ choice to commerce Kupp. Since his record-breaking 2021 marketing campaign, he has missed 16 video games attributable to harm. Once more, I’m behind the choice; I disagree with the way it’s being dealt with, so Kupp has each cause to be miffed.
The NFL is a enterprise and doesn’t owe any participant a factor—franchise face or not. Even then, that is no option to deal with somebody who carried the Rams to their second Lombardi Trophy. The 2022 Tremendous Bowl MVP had a season for the ages which can be exhausting to prime.
Cooper Kupp’s 2021 season was one for the ages:
Common season:145 catches (led NFL)1,947 yards (led NFL)16 TD (led NFL)Offensive Participant of the Yr
Playoffs:33 catches (most in NFL historical past)478 yards (2nd most ever6 TD (2nd most ever)Tremendous Bowl MVP
— Discipline Yates (@FieldYates) February 4, 2025
LA trustworthy are effectively conscious it’s now not 2021 since Kupp hasn’t been anyplace near the identical participant. The pending transfer is considerably perplexing as a result of the Rams have been near reaching the NFC Championship. They need to be reloading this offseason as a substitute of alienating a participant who needed to complete his profession in Los Angeles, and is a safety blanket for Matthew Stafford.
In December 2023, I wrote that Kupp’s Rams period had run its course, and everybody had enjoyable ripping me to shreds within the feedback. Every part about writing that article pained me, and but, I stand by what I stated. Whereas lots of you have been busy calling my article “clickbait”—don’t assume I’ve forgotten Jim Everett—I ended up being proper, and belief me, that’s not a victory lap I’ve loved taking. Amongst different issues, I wrote about Kupp’s difficult cap scenario:
“Les Snead and the entrance workplace ought to try to maneuver on from Kupp whereas they’ll nonetheless get a considerably first rate return for him. Nonetheless, the receiver’s contract makes it difficult and doubtlessly unattractive to any groups courageous sufficient to take it on.
Kupp was re-signed to a three-year $80.1 million extension in June 2022. Based on Spotrac, shifting on from him in the course of the 2024 offseason would create a $29,780,000 cap hit and a lifeless cap hit of $47,040,000. LA has a possible out within the 2025 offseason because the lifeless cap hit would go right down to $17,260,000. Fortunately the Rams have loads of expertise getting out from beneath dangerous contracts with Todd Gurley, Brandin Cooks and Jared Goff to call a number of.
The Cooper Kupp period hath runneth its course in Los Angeles and the Rams should minimize bait earlier than issues get actually ugly.”
Guess what? Issues have gotten ugly and Snead is extremely unlikely to get a lot—if any—return for the receiver. Like I stated, I’m not making an attempt to rub it in anybody’s face, however LA’s entrance workplace has completed Kupp an entire disservice by ready so lengthy to commerce him.
Extremely unlikely that there is a staff on the market that wishes to commerce for Cooper Kupp. At this level, they may wait out his launch and get him for 50 cents on the greenback. Kupp made that much more obvious by letting us know he is on the block and does not agree with it.
— TurfShowTimes (@TurfShowTimes) February 4, 2025
Sure, the NFL generally is a merciless enterprise, and Monday was one other reminder of that truth, Kupp doesn’t should be discarded like a chunk of trash in any case he’s completed for the franchise. Loyalty is nonexistent on this league or any for that matter. I can’t think about the ache followers are going by after seeing Aaron Donald retire, and now this.
Cooper Kupp will without end be a legend in Hollywood, it’s simply painful realizing he’ll be suited up in another person’s colours subsequent season. I’ll root for him wherever he goes—even when he finally ends up with the 49ers or Chiefs. Okay, nope, pondering of that made me throw up in my mouth.
Rattling it, why does saying goodbye must be so exhausting?
Picture by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Photos