Rams veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp is one of the major NFL talents under trade talks across the league after an unproductive season at the helm of Sean McVay in 2025. The former Triple Crown winner says he can still play “good football” and has made it clear he wants to play, but for who remains the question. With many of Green Bay’s worries revolving around a depleted receiving corps, can a Packers trade for a 31-year-old veteran be the answer to the ongoing cycle of disappointment in the pass-catching department?
Should The Green Bay Packers Trade for Cooper Kupp This Offseason?
Re-emerging into the minds of football fans is none other than trade talks, although talks of a Cooper Kupp trade have been lingering since the trade deadline. The former Triple Crown winner in 2021 has witnessed a new talent in Puka Nacua take over the spotlight as the new go-to guy for Matthew Stafford. Kupp has expressed his on-field frustrations openly with the media, making it known that he is not happy with how things have been boiling down the last few years in Los Angeles
“For me personally, [I’m] feeling like, man, there’s things, I’m watching film, feeling good about football and playing, but production-wise it’s not showing up. And a lot of stuff’s outside of my control. And it is frustrating.”
Kupp has also acknowledged the idea of possibly moving on to greener pastures, which could be a trend in the right direction in potentially reviving his career. But how could Green Bay, Wisconsin be the greenest of pastures for a guy like Kupp?
Kupp Fits The Mold for a Packers Trade
With talks of the Packers offensive coordinator interviewing for potential head coaching jobs around the league, the offense is bound to undergo dramatic change in the years to come. Kupp can serve to be a stable and productive receiver who can quickly adapt to the complex circumstances that may arise in Green Bay.
Kupp would undoubtedly be the go-to guy for Jordan Love, especially if they do not try for a wideout in the early rounds of the draft. Although the receiving room is crowded, Kupp could provide a reason for the offense to return to a pass-heavy system in 2025.
Packers GM Makes Packers Trade Sound Unlikely
Although it sounds like an ideal move for desperate Packers fans, there are also many reasons why Kupp may find elsewhere to showcase his talents. General manager Brian Gutekunst has voiced his stance on acquiring a true WR1 or acquiring an “experienced” pass catcher. Neither stance fits the mold of any sort of change happening in the wide receiver room. He is a firm believer that Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, and Romeo Doubs are already experienced enough receivers and that Kupp would be unneeded.
Gutekunst has also been a part of many Packers offenses that have relied on a top receiver, had success in the regular season, and then good teams figure out their scheme too easily come playoff time. He has expressed that reversing that ideology will only set the offense back.
“We’re young from a number perspective, but from an experience perspective, I don’t think we’re young at all. I don’t think experience held us back at all.”
Kupp’s contract is also something to be concerned with, as he still has 2 more years left on his three-year, $80 million contract. That makes him an unrestricted free agent in 2027, which would mean Kupp may not fit the long-term vision that Gutekunst and the remaining coaching staff hope to accomplish.
What Would The Packers Give Up?
While Cooper Kupp is certainly not the same receiver as he was, Green Bay could also focus on their future by trading away Jaire Alexander to Los Angeles in return for a few picks. While player-for-player trades do not happen very often, this is an option that the Packers have down their sleeve to get rid of Alexander and his massive contract.
Another player that Green Bay could consider shopping in a trade for Cooper Kupp could be Kenny Clark, for much of the same financial reasons. Clark also did not perform up to standards for Green Bay this season.
There is no doubt the offense would improve with Kupp as one of Love’s options. While Packers fans are hopeful for a big signing or trade at the position, Gutekunst is not prioritizing a large signing or planning on using an early-round draft pick on a wide receiver.
Main Photo: Bill Streicher – USA Today Sports
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