Cooper Kupp Should Be A Ram Beyond 2025

While Cooper Kupp's future with the Rams remains unclear, Los Angeles should make it a priority to keep their franchise legend under contract for the rest of his career.

Jan 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) carries the ball in the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Cooper Kupp embodies what it means to be a Ram. He has for his entire eight-year NFL career. The former Triple Crown winner caught his way to being named the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2021 and Super Bowl MVP after catching the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LVI.

In fact, if not for tearing his ACL in 2018, Kupp likely would have two Super Bowl titles as in eight games that season, Kupp put up 566 receiving yards and six touchdowns. That year, the Rams would lose Super Bowl LIII 13-3 in a defensive battle that didn't see a touchdown till the fourth quarter.

While Kupp, now 31 years old, is now on the back half of his career, some speculate that his time with Los Angeles may be over. Kupp himself said that his future with the team is out of his control.

There are issues pertaining to his cap hit, his drop in production, and missed time over the last three seasons due to injury. I have personally witnessed what the Rams look like with him on the field and when he's not and I don't think the team is ready to go to battle without him.

Kupp still draws a lot of attention from defenses and that attention opens up opportunities for others. The Rams' tight ends did not have as big of a day as they did against the Vikings for no reason.

Kupp forces defenses to play certain coverages or the Rams will have an easy path to the endzone. Ask New England who tried to run cover zero against the Rams how they felt after Kupp ran the ball into the endzone.

Kupp is also an on-field teacher that the players respect because he's their contemporary and he's done it before. That type of information delivered in that way in invaluable.

Matthew Stafford's future in the NFL will not last that much longer so the Rams need to prioritize making the most of the time they have. The numbers will be tight but there are many ways to move Kupp's cap hit around which could lead to a team-friendly extension that keeps him in Los Angeles and allows the team to resign priority free agents like Alaric Jackson and Ahkello Witherspoon while giving the team the flexibility to acquire another pass catcher.

The Rams played a Super Bowl with two excellent pass catchers in Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods and they put up three points. If Puka Nacua is on one side and a Tee Higgins/Garrett Wilson level of player is on the other, with the game on the line, I'm going with Kupp in the slot.

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