The days of Cooper Kupp have come to an end in Los Angeles—and while one chapter closes, another opens with free agent signing Davante Adams, whose own prowess could earn the Rams a quicker path to reclaiming their Super Bowl aspirations.
The Rams are Turning the Page—from Kupp’s Legacy to Adams’ Spotlight
Kupp’s L.A. Beginnings
The Los Angeles Rams selected Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp in 2017, just one year after they relocated from St. Louis. He was a part of head coach Sean McVay’s first draft class, overachieving his third-round selection by totaling a team-high 869 receiving yards and 5 receiving touchdowns.
Kupp’s rookie stats led the team’s receiving group, outmatching the likes of Robert Woods, Sammy Watkins, and Tavon Austin—which isn’t saying much apart from McVay’s own abilities to switch gears on a putrid Jared Goff, who, in his rookie season, went an astounding 0-7, throwing just 155.6 yards per game, with a 5 to 7 touchdown/interception rate.
However, the following year saw Goff lead an 11-5 squad, mightily improving with a season total of 3,804 passing yards and a 28 to 7 touchdown/interception rate. Jared Goff, Todd Gurley II, and Canton‑bound Aaron Donald powered the Rams to their most successful season in 13 years, and the 204‑pound slot receiver from Yakima, Washington, played a key role in that achievement.
Post Rams-Patriots Super Bowl
In 2018, McVay floored it. The Rams’ 13-3 campaign earned them a second straight division title, paving the way to a Super Bowl matchup with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Unfortunately, a season‑ending knee injury in Week 10 sidelined Kupp, who had outperformed expectations with 70.8 receiving yards per game and 6 touchdowns. That, along with a hobbled Gurley, curbed expectations for the “Greatest Show on Turf 2.0,” who made for a lackluster showing at one of the most disappointing Super Bowls in league history—L.A. managing a crushing 3 points on offense.
In the years that followed, the Rams flirted with success, only to have division rivals the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks repeatedly dash their hopes (and that was before Russell Wilson’s nationwide cringe tour). Kupp improved, but his squad faltered. Fear of mediocrity was setting in, and while the slot receiver seemed to possess Pro Bowl talents, he hadn’t yet gone the distance. That all changed when G.M. Les Snead and coach McVay devised a plan to rob the house blind.
The story goes that after a divisional round loss to the Green Bay Packers, McVay and his fiancée took a much-needed vacation to Cabo San Lucas. At a resort, the couple happened to cross paths with quarterback Matthew Stafford and his wife, Kelly. The four got together, having a grand time throwing back umbrella-topped piña coladas while plotting brighter days for each of their respective careers. The scene sounds like something straight out of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid—two slick gunslingers planning a heist and their eventual getaway. The acquisition of Stafford, however, would prove most beneficial to Cooper Kupp.
The Golden Years
In 2021, the Rams crawled their way back to Mt. Lombardi, led by the incredible seasons of both Stafford and Kupp, who managed to collect the rare triple-crown honors with 1,947 receiving yards, 145 receptions, and 16 touchdowns. This marked the pinnacle of Kupp’s career, solidifying him as Offensive Player of the Year and the eventual Super Bowl MVP of their 2021 victory.
It’s hard to say what came first, the chicken or the egg. Was Kupp always destined for a season like that? Of course, Stafford enhanced whatever chances he had, but on whose terms was it? No matter the result was the single greatest season of either’s career.
It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times
The year of the Super Bowl hangover was disappointing, but no more disappointing than Kupp’s own injuries. For the next three seasons, not only did the receiver fail to meet his career highs, but he also was unable to reach past that 1,000-yard receiving mark. And while the Rams have now made a showing of rebuilding their hollowed-out roster post-2021, Kupp’s only consistency has been his injuries.
By the end of the 2024 season, most in the Rams’ building were forced to admit Kupp was no longer a worthwhile asset. In the rising success story of Puka Nakua, McVay has found a qualified replacement, and in cutting the storied receiver, the franchise was able to open up cap space for additional, more reliable talent. In walks Davante Adams.
What Adams Means for the Future
The signing signifies two things—one of which we were already privy to. Snead will not be following the model that secured the Rams’ second Lombardi trophy. It would’ve been easy, even understandable, if the front office opted to wrangle in some big names at key positions. Swap picks and veterans for stars looking for a new home. But in dropping Kupp and signing Adams to a 2-year/$46M contract, expect the Rams to keep slowly acquiring talent, testing the roster until both Snead and McVay feel that it just might be their year.
The second thing that this deal proves is that Stafford will remain in the building as long as he chooses. In fact, in a few years, he may be one of the only pieces left of the team’s Super Bowl roster. Adams will make an already bonafide offense more dangerous. Another weapon for the quarterback may spur Stafford to a return to form. So the release of Kupp, while a sensitive topic, was a necessary move.
Kupp’s Ride Off Into the Sunset
Rarely does an NFL athlete get to retire with the team they were drafted by on their own accord. That storybook third act exists for the very fortunate, very exceptional few. Kupp’s time in Los Angeles shouldn’t be taken for granted. What he accomplished, as the prospect he began as, is truly remarkable. And while the shallow Rams fan may have difficulty watching him perform for the Seattle Seahawks, a grateful, understanding one will have no problem seeing Kupp make an ending of his own: returning to his home state to play out his remaining years.
Main Image: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
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