With Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, and DeAndre Hopkins all finding new teams, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp could be the top player left on the trade market. A third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Eastern Washington product wasted no time in establishing himself as a featured part of Sean McVay’s offense. Teaming up with Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods, the Rams of the late 2010s had one of the most unstoppable offenses under then-quarterback Jared Goff.
Cooks, Woods, and Goff eventually left Los Angeles, allowing Kupp to thrive with new quarterback Matthew Stafford. In 2021, the duo connected for 145 receptions for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns en route to a Super Bowl championship. While injuries limited him to just 23 games in the past two and a half seasons, Kupp remains effective when on the field. However, with the Rams sitting at 2-4, the team could trade Cooper Kupp if they lose to the Minnesota Vikings. Following serious injuries to their wide receivers, the desperate Tampa Bay Buccaneers could swoop in and steal Kupp from the Baltimore Ravens or Los Angeles Chargers.
Desperate Buccaneers Could Steal Cooper Kupp From Chargers, Ravens In Trade
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered Week 7 with one of the league’s strongest wide receiver duos in Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Unfortunately, both players suffered serious injuries during the contest, forcing the 4-3 Buccaneers to try and adapt on the fly. Evans should return later in the season, but Chris Godwin may have played his last snap with the Buccaneers. Mayfield is in the midst of a remarkable campaign, but nobody can survive in today’s NFL without adequate weapons. With nowhere else to turn, Tampa Bay should consider a Cooper Kupp trade.
With Evans and Godwin sidelined, Tampa Bay’s season now rests in the hands of Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer, and Sterling Shepard. McMillan and Palmer don’t have starting experience, while the 31-year-old Shepard has too much. Perhaps the Buccaneers can win a weak NFC South without Godwin and Evans, but they’ll need to trade for a playmaker like Cooper Kupp if they want to play deep into January.
Other Fits
The Los Angeles Chargers enter Week 8 with a 3-3 record, but they’d be at least 4-2 if they had any type of talent at wide receiver. With Quentin Johnston and second-round pick Ladd McConkey battling injuries, Justin Herbert had to find a way to make do with a collection of XFL-caliber talent. While he threw for an impressive 349 yards, the lack of talent at receiver kept the offense out of the endzone. Head coach Jim Harbaugh wants to win with the running game, but he can’t ignore the issues in the passing game any longer. A Cooper Kupp trade would give the offense the firepower it so desperately needs as the team prepared for a Wild Card fight.
The Baltimore Ravens, meanwhile, have a near-unstoppable offense with MVP frontrunner Lamar Jackson and Offensive Player of the Year frontrunner Derrick Henry. These two could lead Baltimore to a Super Bowl title, but if any organization knows that regular season dominance doesn’t translate to the playoffs, it’s the Ravens. Winning the Super Bowl is no easy feat, and the team should load up on as much talent as possible while chasing their first championship since the magic Joe Flacco run in 2012.
Main Photo: Michael Chow – USA Today Sports
