The Los Angeles Rams are looking to trade superstar wide receiver Cooper Kupp — according to Kupp himself — and the Pittsburgh Steelers have been very high on most lists of potential landing spots.
Having said that, the writers and analysts over at Steelers Depot believe there’s only one way Pittsburgh’s front office would actually make this deal.
“Will be interesting to see if the Rams actually end up being able to trade Cooper Kupp with his contract as is and thus without having to eat some of the $20M due in 2025,” Steelers Depot first commented on February 3, adding: “If they can’t deal him, he will get cut by March 15.”
In a follow-up post, the trusted blogging site explained that “teams will likely try to get the Rams to eat $5M of the $7.5M roster bonus that Cooper Kupp is due in March to facilitate a trade. That would make the new team be on the hook for $15M in 2025.”
Finally, Steelers Depot voiced their opinion on the topic, relaying that the Rams paying $5 million of the veteran pass-catcher’s contract “would be the ONLY way I could see the Steelers being in on trading for Cooper Kupp.”
Per Over the Cap, Pittsburgh currently has a little over $40.7 million in available cap space as of February 4, but there are several ways that they could still free up more money, including relatively obvious cap casualties like linebacker Cole Holcomb, edge rusher Preston Smith or even starting defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi.
Steelers Named No. 1 ‘Trade Destination’ for Rams WR Cooper Kupp
As mentioned above, different NFL analysts and reporters around the country have already been hypothesizing Kupp to the Steelers. CBS Sports analyst Bryan DeArdo even listed Pittsburgh as his top “trade destination” for the Rams playmaker on February 4.
“Pittsburgh’s desire to acquire a proven, veteran wideout last year was well-documented,” DeArdo reasoned. “In Kupp, the Steelers would be getting just that while giving their next starting quarterback (Justin Fields?) a reliable target.”
“Kupp would also be a positive influence for George Pickens, who despite all of his talent has failed to live up to his potential,” the writer added.
Along with Pittsburgh, DeArdo also highlighted the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills as potential landing spots for Kupp via trade.
Considering three of those franchises were AFC playoff teams in 2024-25, a Kupp acquisition might not just help the Steelers offensively, but also defensively as they block other suitors from getting him.
Cooper Kupp Stated That He Does Not ‘Agree With’ Rams Decision to Trade Him
The former Rams captain was very honest with the fanbase on X on February 3. Below was his entire message, in which he noted pretty bluntly that he does not “agree with” Los Angeles’ decision.
I was informed that the team will be seeking a trade immediately and will be working with me and my family to find the right place to continue competing for championships.
I don’t agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA. Still, if there’s one thing that I have learned over the years: there are so many things that are out of your control, but it is how you respond to these things that you will look back on and remember.
I have taken so much pride in playing alongside my teammates for the LA community, so thank you for embracing my family and making this such a special place for us.
2024 began with one of the best training camps of my career. Preparations start now for 2025. Highly motivated, as healthy as ever, and looking forward to playing elite football for years to come.
Love you guys .. But coming for it all.
Kupp dealt with injuries throughout the 2024 campaign, but the 31-year-old former Offensive Player of the Year still managed 67 receptions for 710 yards and 6 touchdowns. Due to a lack of availability, Kupp has not logged a 1,000-yard season since 2021, when he recorded a ridiculous 145 catches for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns.
If the Steelers were to trade for Kupp, they could be receiving a skilled route-runner that is “highly motivated” to prove his ex-franchise wrong. At the same time, it’s possible that Kupp’s injury issues will only get worse with age.
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