Colin Cowherd take on new Seahawks WR Cooper Kupp misses the mark

The Seattle Seahawks wide receiver room will look different in 2025. While Jaxon Smith-Njigba remains, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are both gone. Seattle has filled the void at the position by signing Cooper Kupp, who was recently released by the Los Angeles Rams.

Kupp heads to his home state with the hopes of bouncing back following the seasons plagued by injury. The former Super Bowl MVP and NFL reception leader has an impressive resume but not everyone believes he will be great for the Seahawks.

FS1’s Colin Cowherd falls in this category as he went after the Seahawks newest wideout on The Colin Cowherd Podcast. The opinionated host said the Seahawks don’t typically miss on receivers, but that they just did with Kupp — saying he can’t separate.

“John Schneider, the GM of Seattle, has almost never missed on receivers. Jesus, he's been fantastic with wide receivers. Cooper Kupp doesn't separate."

Cowherd then went on to say Rams’ head coach Sean McVay wouldn’t have moved off Kupp if he could still get open.

"I mean, Sean McVay moves off a receiver. They resigned TuTu Atwell because he gets open. They went and paid for older Devante Adams, because if you go look at the analytics, he gets open. Cooper Kupp doesn't get open at all."

He’s not alone in this thinking, with Ryan Heath of Fantasy Points breaking down Kupp’s performance in 2024.

Cooper Kupp (Weeks 1-11):

+ .137 Average Separation Score (~WR11)
+ 33% TPRR (~WR1)

Week 12-Wildcard:

+ .034 Average Separation Score (~WR64)
+ 21% TPRR (~WR37)

Demarcus Robinson ran five more routes last week. Kupp is either hurt, washed, or both.@FantasyPtsData
— Ryan Heath (@RyanJ_Heath) January 16, 2025

Cowherd, who was a huge fan of the Sam Darnold signing, has valid points but he’s missing the mark slightly. Seattle didn’t sign Kupp to be the player he was in 2019. They didn’t even sign him to be the No. 1 wide receiver.

Seattle Seahawks — Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp | Jessica Rapfogel-Imagn Images

The Seahawks signed Kupp as a veteran mentor for Smith-Njigba and a security blanket for Darnold. They’re also operating under the belief that Kupp was slowed by an ankle injury in 2024.

Sure, there are some risks involved but as Cowherd said, Schneider doesn’t typically miss on receivers. For that reason, he deserves the benefit of doubt here.

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