Panthers should avoid this star playmaker like the plague

The Carolina Panthers should not even consider trading for this star playmaker.
Nov 3, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) waves to fans following an  overtime victory against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Nov 3, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) waves to fans following an overtime victory against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers may be forced to pursue some drastic measures this offseason, as they need weapons, and they may have difficult landing them in free agency.

Not only do the Panthers have limited cap room, but they are not exactly an attractive free-agent destination, so the chances of Carolina making a big splash are very slim.

One thing the Panthers can do is peruse the trade market, as there should be some very intriguing weapons available in the coming months.

A name you are already hearing a lot about is Los Angeles Rams star Cooper Kupp, who appears to be headed for a split with the only franchise he has ever known.

If you're thinking Kupp would be a solid option for the Panthers, think again.

Kupp is 31 years old and has appeared in a grand total of 33 games over the last three seasons. He has been regularly dealing with injury issues, and while he is still productive, he is not even remotely close to the same pass-catcher that captured the wide receiver triple crown in 2021.

Heck, the Rams began phasing him out of their offense later in the season in favor of Demarcus Robinson, who is not exactly known for being a top-tier wide out.

Plus, Kupp has a couple of years remaining on his deal, which would make things rather complicated for Carolina in a potential trade.

The only possible avenue the Panthers may be safe exploring is if the Rams cut Kupp, which is actually a somewhat plausible scenario.

In that instance, Carolina can merely sign the Eastern Washington product to a one-year deal, but then, we are back to the whole "why would he want to play for the Panthers" thing.

Basically, Kupp should not be viewed as a viable option for Carolina, regardless of how much it needs to provide Bryce Young with more supporting talent.

Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp.
Jan 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) catches the ball as Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (34) defends in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

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Matthew Schmidt
MATTHEW SCHMIDT

Matthew Schmidt is a sportswriter who covers NFL, MLB, NBA and some college. He has been writing professionally since 2011 and has also worked for Bleacher Report, FanRag Sports, ClutchPoints, NFLAnalysis.Net and NBAAnalysis.net. He was born and raised in New Jersey and has a rather eclectic group of favorite teams: the Boston Celtics, New York Giants and Miami Marlins.