As the 2025 league year looms, the Rams are approaching a deadline with Cooper Kupp. Although a bit more time remains until the standout wide receiver’s $7.5MM roster bonus is due, Kupp is on the verge of free agency.
The Rams have tried to trade Kupp but are close to releasing him. Barring an 11th-hour trade, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Kupp will be cut after the new league year begins. The Rams could make Kupp a post-June 1 release beginning at 3pm CT on March 12.
A parting of the ways has been expected for some time. The 31-year-old acknowledged back in January that he may have already played his last snap for the Rams, and shortly thereafter, it was reported that Los Angeles was actively shopping the 2021 Triple Crown winner. When speaking about the matter last week, GM Les Snead indicated his club could retain Kupp, though he noted that was the least likely option.
Shortly after those comments were made, Snead pulled the trigger on a two-year, $46MM contract for Davante Adams, effectively confirming Kupp’s departure. As the team moves forward with Puka Nacua, Adams, and the recently-resigned Tutu Atwell at the top of its WR depth chart, Kupp will be seeking a change of scenery. By cutting him prior to March 17, the Rams will avoid paying the above-referenced roster bonus, and using the post-June 1 designation will allow LA to save $15MM in cap space (albeit with a corresponding dead cap charge of roughly the same amount, as $5MM of the bonus is guaranteed in full).
The fact that a release loomed as the probable outcome certainly put a damper on Kupp’s trade market, and his recent injury woes and general downturn in production did not help (he has seen his yards-per-game average drop from 90.2 to 61.4 to 59.2 since the start of the 2022 season while playing in 33 of a possible 51 regular season games over the past three years). Still, a healthy Kupp would be a valuable addition to any number of clubs in need of a pass-catcher, and he should not linger on the open market for too long.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.