Star wide receiver Cooper Kupp has been informed by the Rams that they will be looking to trade him once free agency begins next month. Kupp still has two years remaining on a three year contract extension that was signed back in 2022 which made Kupp which made Kupp among the highest paid receivers in the NFL.
Kupp earned his 2022 extension following a superb 2021 season in which he led the NFL with 145 receptions and nearly 1,950 yards to go along with 16 touchdowns and then capped the year off by being named Super Bowl MVP. Kupp’s numbers the last two years have dropped back down to his prior norms, averaging about 60 yards a game, and he has slid down the depth chart, becoming a secondary option in the offense. Kupp’s availability has been a concern the last three years. He played just 9 games in 2022, and has played 12 games in each of the last two years.
The Rams will need to spend the next month gauging interest in Kupp and weigh the benefits of potentially paying extra money for draft picks versus releasing him. Kupp’s contract calls for him to receive a $7.5 million roster bonus on the 5th day of the league year. $5 million of that roster bonus is guaranteed and is subject to offsets. Kupp would certainly sign a contract that pays more than $5 million in 2025 and the Rams would get their full amount back.
Delaying the trade until after the roster bonus is due would mean that the Rams would pick up $7.5 million of Kupp’s $20 million salary leaving an acquiring team with just $12.5 million to pay in 2025. That could be enticing to other teams and perhaps up the trade value, but given that the Rams are the ones under the time constraint here I am not sure it would really increase the value that much. Kupp has played his entire career in LA
Recent trades of receivers who were past their peak but still considered potential top talents would include DeAndre Hopkins (2nd round pick), Julio Jones (2nd round pick and a 4/6 swap) and a half year of Davante Adams (3rd round pick). Hopkins and Jones had multiple cost effective years remaining on their contracts while Adams was mainly a one year rental. If the market for Kupp is a 2nd round pick it would be worth eating the roster bonus. If it is lower, I think you can make an argument that the team should consider moving on, saving the money, and letting Kupp choose his own destination. I don’t think it would be fair to Kupp, and the Rams are one of the better organizations in the NFL when it comes to relationships with their players, to just keep him on the roster for months until they can find a trade partner in the summer.
The cost to trade Kupp on the salary cap for the Rams would be $17.26 million if traded before the roster bonus is due and $24.76 million if traded after the roster bonus is due. Kupp currently has a $29.8 million cap charge so in both cases the Rams would create some cap room and they are not hurting for cap room anyway to where the cap savings are of that much of a concern. If the Rams cut Kupp the charge would be $22.76 million with the team receiving up to a $5 million offset credit in 2026.
For the team acquiring Kupp the cap charge would be $12.5 million for the year if the Rams pick up the roster bonus and $20 million if the trade is made prior to the bonus being due. Kupp has a non-guaranteed salary of $19.85 million next year, $5 million of which is due in March. For an acquiring team there is no real impact beyond this season due to the contract having no guarantees remaining.
If the Rams do pick up the roster bonus this year, Kupp’s contract will sneakily go down as one of the great player contracts of all time. The Rams would have wound up paying Kupp $47.75 million for completing just one year of his three year extension where he tallied a stat line of 67/710/6. While it is not entirely fair to look at the contract through that lens (unlike many other extensions Kupp had clearly outplayed his prior deal) it is still an example of a player being able to use every bit of leverage to his advantage to make certain he maxes out his compensation.