Well, what a week for the city of Los Angeles! Everyone stopped what they were doing when the Lakers traded for five-time NBA All-Star Luka Dončić, and now Cooper Kupp will call a different city home in 2025.
After eight seasons in Los Angeles with the Rams, the team has informed the Super Bowl 56 MVP that they will seek a trade immediately. Kupp released a statement on his social media account on Monday night.
In the statement, Kupp essentially bid farewell to the city he has called home his entire career. The veteran wideout, drafted by the Rams in 2017 out of Eastern Washington, has become a likable player among the franchise’s fans.
Kupp clarified that he disagreed with this decision, stating he believed his playing career would start and end in Los Angeles. He also shared that he has taken pride in playing alongside his teammates for the Los Angeles community.
The 31-year-old has meant a lot to the city and the fan base. He helped the Rams earn their second Super Bowl title in 2022. Kupp’s tenure with the Rams will forever be remembered by that Hall of Fame season.
He totaled 145 catches for 1,947 yards and scored 16 touchdowns in 17 games, earning his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors, NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and a Super Bowl ring and MVP. Kupp won the Triple Crown, leading the league in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns and setting numerous franchise records.
While Kupp has carved out an impressive resume with the Rams in Los Angeles, his future with the team has raised question marks due to his contract. Kupp is signed for two more seasons on his three-year, $80.1 million contract extension, which will take up nearly $30 million in cap space next season. The Rams plan to clear a large chunk of that cap space by releasing or trading Kupp with a post-June 1 designation.
So, where will Kupp play in 2025? One logical destination that makes sense for Kupp is Washington. The veteran wideout would land with the Commanders, coming off the team’s best season since 1991, and they can only go up from here.
They won 14 games this past year, including two in the playoffs, such as beating the No. 1-seeded Detroit Lions. The Commanders’ run would end in the NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles, but an impressive rookie campaign from Jayden Daniels excites many fans about the future. Could you imagine Cooper Kupp in the mix with Washington?
What does this mean for the Rams? Well, expect a lot more Puka Nacua. Nacua broke out in his rookie season in 2023 and has emerged as one of the league’s best pass catchers after just two years in the league. Nacua will miss playing with Kupp, but it's a business at the end of the day.
Nacua will not have much competition on the Rams regarding targets or receptions; he'll still be a PPR merchant and a must-draft in redraft leagues, especially with Kupp playing elsewhere next season. For those reasons, Kupp being traded should benefit Nacua and boost his fantasy draft stock.