Ram Digest

Could Trading Cooper Kupp be the Last Straw for Matthew Stafford and the Rams?

Cooper Kupp is on the trading block. Could this decision by the Rams front office strain their relationship with Matthew Stafford, and could that mean he decides to leave as well?
Fernando Alfaro-Donis|
Jan 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) runs onto the field prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Jan 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) runs onto the field prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles 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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Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams are steadfast on their decision to trade away their aging veteran receiver, Cooper Kupp. This decision has caught the roster off guard, especially for Matthew Stafford and his family.

His wife, Kelly Stafford, recently went on a podcast and expressed her thoughts on the situation and what she thinks is best for her husband.

Stafford doesn't seem all too pleased with the front office's decision, and it sounds like it may be the last straw for him and his tenure in Los Angeles. This would be huge because many fans were expecting Stafford to retire as a Ram, even if Kupp was traded.

Now, his wife is saying that she loves an adventure, which means that they've discussed as a family potential teams they could go on next. I don't think it would be advisable for Stafford to seek a trade from Los Angeles, as there aren't that many systems in place that compliment his playstyle as well as Sean McVay's offense.

If he were to look for a trade out of LA, there are certainly teams that should be interested in what he has to offer. Stafford and Kupp are LA's two biggest contracts, so moving off of them both means they would free up a lot of cap space for any free agents they'd be interested in.

The only problem is that there aren't any big-name quarterback free agents this offseason that could place LA on the same level of contention as Stafford. There are quarterbacks available that are intriguing as prospects, such as Trey Lance or Zach Wilson, but I don't think they would inspire much confidence leading that offense.

Either way, Stafford leaving alongside Kupp would allow LA to buy into their youth fully and continue building their team through the draft. They've done a phenomenal job of doing that under GM Les Snead, and the expectation is that they can continue to hit on draft picks.

Even if Stafford looks for other places to play, the Rams still have a bright future as long as McVay continues to be their head coach, and their defense can develop and get even better than last season. Jared Verse just won DROY, and the Rams have proven that it's possible to win a Super Bowl and rebuild through the draft.

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Fernando Alfaro-Donis
FERNANDO ALFARO-DONIS

Fernando Alfaro-Donis found his passion for sports playing high school football, which led him to pursue journalism as an English major at UCLA. He also covers the UCLA Bruins and the Los Angeles Rams as an On SI team reporter.

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