BREAKING: Rams Make Final Decision on Cooper Kupp

The Los Angeles Rams haven't been able to find a willing trade partner for wide receiver Cooper Kupp and now plan to make him a free agent when Wednesday's league year begins.

Dec 26, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) look on before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Cooper Kupp’s football story will continue in 2025, just not with the Los Angeles Rams. According to Adam Schefter, the Rams will release the former Super Bowl MVP after the start of the new league year on Wednesday afternoon unless they can move him in a trade.

Last week, Jacksonville’s new general manager and former Les Snead lieutenant James Gladstone successfully executed a similar strategy before trading Christian Kirk to the Texans. The Rams, however, initially told Kupp a month ago they were planning to trade him so finding a willing partner to take on his contract in the next 48 hours isn’t likely.

That contract is believed to be the reason Los Angeles has yet to trade Kupp. For the last week, Kupp’s release has been expected. Talking about Kupp’s contract last week, Sean McVay said he would never speak in absolutes, leaving all possibilities open.

However, Snead also said days before the Rams signed Davante Adams over the weekend that Kupp returning to the Rams was the least likely scenario.

Jason Fitzgerald from Over the Cap wrote last month that Kupp’s contract calls for a $7.5 million roster bonus due on March 17, the fifth day of the league year, and $5 million on that bonus is guaranteed.

“Kupp would certainly sign a contract that pays more than $5 million in 2025 and the Rams would get their full amount back,” Fitzgerald wrote. “Delaying the trade until after the roster bonus is due would mean that the Rams would pick up $7.5 million of Kupp’s $20 million salary, leaving an acquiring team with just $12.5 million to pay in 2025.

“That could be enticing to other teams and perhaps up the trade value, but given that the Rams are the ones under the time constraint here I am not sure it would really increase the value that much.” 

Releasing Kupp with a pre-June 1 designation would result in $22.26 million in dead money, according to Over the Cap. So, if the Rams do part ways with the 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, it likely would be a post-June 1 move, which would reduce the dead-cap hit to $14.78 million this year and provide $15 million in cap savings.

Kupp, 31, ranks third in Rams franchise history in both career receptions (634) and receiving touchdowns (57). He ranks fourth with 7,776 receiving yards. In 2021, he captured the elusive receiving triple crown, leading the NFL in all three categories, and went on to earn Super Bowl MVP honors.

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