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The weeks leading up to the 2024 NFL trade deadline have been filled with deals involving elite receivers, and Cooper Kupp could be next in line. Trade season was kicked off when the New York Jets made a move to reunite Aaron Rodgers with his old pal Davante Adams. The trade started a snowball effect that has seen a lot of the other receiver-needy trades make moves for receivers.
Amari Cooper was traded to the Buffalo Bills, DeAndre Hopkins was dealt to the Kansas City Chiefs, and Diontae Johnson was sent to the Baltimore Ravens. There are still other talented pass catchers on the trade block, though, and there are plenty of teams who could use help in their receiving corps.
The NFL trade deadline is a week later than normal, so there is still plenty of time for more trades to occur. After all, trade deadline deals are occurring more frequently than ever before. Cooper Kupp is the next big name on the trade block, specifically at the receiver position. Kupp has been one of the best receivers in the NFL during his time with the Los Angeles Rams, but the team might be sellers at the trade deadline.
The Rams are only 3-4, and Kupp has struggled with injuries since helping the team win a Super Bowl. Additionally, Puka Nacua has emerged as the young star receiver in Los Angeles. With so many receivers off of the board, a team might get desperate and trade a haul of assets that the Rams can't refuse, even though Kupp is a franchise legend.
Who knows where he will end up, though, so check out the gallery to see what Cooper Kupp would look like in the uniform of all 32 teams in the NFL.
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals have a high-powered offense led by former first-overall pick Kyler Murray at the quarterback position. The first-round investment of Marvin Harrison Jr. at the receiver position has taken the team to a new level. But Harrison is more of a big-bodied possession receiver, so the team could use more speed and route running prowess, both of which Kupp provide.
Trey McBride has carried a bigger burden in the passing game than is ideal for a tight end.
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons have a lot of talented pass catchers on their team, but some of them are still developing. Both Kyle Pitts and Drake London have loads of potential, and a Cooper Kupp trade could potentially stunt their growth. His presence could also open things up for the two youngsters, though.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers were the latest team to trade away a receiver. Getting older at the position doesn't make much sense, so a Kupp trade is unlikely. However, Bryce Young is quickly looking like a bust, and if the 2023 first overall fails, then the Panthers will be in a really bad place.
Carolina traded a lot to acquire Young with the thought that he'd be their franchise guy for the next decade-plus. If they still hold out any hope that the struggling signal-caller can turn things around, then they'd be smart to bring in some more weapons to help him out. Young hasn't been good, but it would be hard for any gunslinger to thrive with such a poor cast of players around him.
Chicago Bears
The big offseason addition for the Chicago Bears was drafting Caleb Williams first overall, but the team also did their best to give him weapons to work with. Rome Odunze was also drafted in the first round, Keenan Allen was traded for, and Gerald Everett was signed in free agency. The three joined the preexisting receiving corps that features D.J. Moore and Cole Kmet.
That is a lot of investments into pass catchers, and there is only one ball to go around. Because of that, Kupp would probably be better suited to join a different team.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys' offensive attack has been impressive for years now, especially in the passing game. While Dak Prescott has long been the team's quarterback, and CeeDee Lamb has long been his favorite target, the team has usually had solid second and third pass-catching options.
This year, the rest of the receiving corps behind Lamb is a little bit weaker than normal. Cooper Kupp would give the passing attack the boost that would make the Cowboys offense look more like it normally does. However, they probably need more help in the run game than they do in the passing game.
Detroit Lions
This season, the Lions have the best offense in football. They are scoring 33.4 points per game, which is first in the NFL by a long shot. Any more help on the offensive end would be borderline unfair. Jameson Williams' future is in doubt though because he has been suspended yet again.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers have a lot of pass catchers on their roster, but perhaps a consolidation trade could make sense. Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, Dontayvion Wicks, and Bo Melton all need targets, so trading a couple of them for a clear-cut upgrade in Kupp could make sense.
His injury history might scare the Packers off from this philosophy, though.
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are the one team we don't have to imagine what Cooper Kupp would look like in their jerseys. The 2017 third-round pick has spent his entire career with the Rams, and he has become one of the best players in franchise history. That is why it would come as such a shock if he were actually traded because not only do Kupp and Rams feel synonymous, but it feels as if the two have a sense of loyalty to each other.
Kupp has caught 590 balls for 7,264 yards and 53 touchdowns as a Ram. His tenure has included a Super Bowl victory, a First-Team All Pro nod, and multiple records. The records Kupp has broken in Los Angeles include single-season scrimmage yards (1,965), single postseason receptions (33), single-season yards including postseason (2,425), and single-season receptions including postseason (178).
Of course, those records came in his triple-crown season in 2021, which was one of the best seasons by an individual player in league history. While Kupp has been good since then, he hasn't been as good, and the injury bug has gotten the best of him in recent years.
For those reasons, Kupp could be on the move. Not to mention, he would net a massive return in a potential trade. Kupp will reportedly cost even more than Davante Adams did.
Minnesota Vikings
Jordan Addison stepped up in a big way as a rookie last season, but his numbers haven't been as impressive in year two with the return to health of Justin Jefferson and the emergence of Sam Darnold as the team's quarterback. Of course, Jefferson is arguably the best receiver in football, and the Vikings offense has been better than anyone could have expected.
With Addison in a sophomore slump of sorts, a Kupp trade could be the one that gets the Vikings over the hump.
New Orleans Saints
The 2024 season has been filled with injuries, especially to receivers. While the New Orleans Saints seem more likely to be sellers than buyers, they might be in the market to replace Rashid Shaheed. The speedster suffered a meniscus injury that will hold him out for the rest of the season, but he was really breaking out before getting hurt.
New York Giants
Daniel Jones and the New York Giants have been heavily reliant on Malik Nabers this season. A part of a stacked rookie receiving class, Nabers has been the best first-year pass catcher of them all. New York could use more help, though.
Wan'Dale Robinson has been used almost exclusively as a short-yardage receiver, and Jalin Hyatt has looked like somewhat of a bust.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles do have one of the best receiver duos in the NFL. A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith are incredibly talented, but Philadelphia has struggled to get a reliable third option on the team. It isn't like they haven't tried, either.
The Eagles traded for Jahan Dotson ahead of the season, but the former first-rounder has only been able to secure six catches in Philadelphia. Cooper Kupp would be a whole lot better than your average third receiver.
San Francisco 49ers
There are tons of weapons on the San Francisco 49ers roster. Christian McCaffrey is arguably the best running back in the NFL, especially as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, Brandon Aiyuk has put up better numbers than anyone could have guessed over the last two seasons, and Ricky Pearsall has tons of potential as a first-rounder this year.
However, McCaffrey has yet to play this season, Aiyuk is out for the year with an injury, and Pearsall is still getting his feet under him after his season was delayed because he was shot during a scary robbery incident. Injuries have been San Francisco's biggest weakness so far.
It isn't like Cooper Kupp has been healthy this year, but he has returned from the injury that held him out for four weeks. Kupp would join a team that also has George Kittle and Deebo Samuel if he were traded to the 49ers.
Seattle Seahawks
Just like the 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks are in the NFC West, which is the Rams division. Inner-divisional trades with rival teams are rare, which makes a Kupp trade to the 49ers, Cardinals, or Seahawks unlikely.
It is even more unlikely in Seattle because the Seahawks already have DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxson Smith-Njigba. Kupp would surely terrorize his former team if he were traded from the Rams to any of the other NFC West teams.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense came out of the gates hot with Chris Godwin and Mike Evans catching passes from Baker Mayfield. Godwin has since suffered a season-ending injury, and Evans re-injured a hamstring issue which will cause him to be out for weeks.
If the Buccaneers want to stay afloat, they'd be smart to make a call for Cooper Kupp. Mayfield and Kupp actually have experience together, too, as the quarterback had a brief stint with the Rams.
Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders have been the biggest surprise in the NFL this season, and they've found success with really only one receiver of note. That is, of course, Terry McLaurin, who has played like a star for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. There are only four other receivers with double-digit receptions this season.
Those are Olamide Zaccheaus (19), Noah Brown (17), Luke McCaffrey (12), and Dyami Brown (10), none of which have been particularly impressive nor of which are super recognizable names to the casual fan. With the Commanders pushing for a playoff spot, they'd be smart to add another weapon in the passing game for the second-overall pick.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens were in the market for another receiver, but they became the latest team to trade for one when they did business with the Panthers in order to acquire Diontae Johnson. That move makes another one for Kupp unlikely, but who knows, perhaps the Ravens are under the mindset of the more the merrier.
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills also already made a trade for a receiver. The team added one of the best route runners in football when they traded for Amari Cooper. While still unlikely to make another receiver trade, the Bills might be more likely to add even more than the Ravens are.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals still have arguably the best receiver duo in the NFL with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but they don't have that elite trio that was present when Tyler Boyd was still on the team. Additionally, there are question marks for the Bengals receiving room.
Chase sat out of the preseason in search of a new contract, which he never received. Higgins, who was franchised tagged this year, is playing on a one year deal, and he had previously demanded a trade out of Cincinnati.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns offense was inept with Deshaun Watson under center. It did look better with Jameis Winston leading the way, but it might be too late for a trade addition. The Browns already traded away Amari Cooper, and Winston isn't looked at as the long-term starter.
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are one of the teams most likely to trade for Cooper Kupp. They have plenty of big-bodied possession receivers on their team, but they need more route running and speed to help Bo Nix out.
The thing that could hold Denver back from a deal is that the Broncos are still recovering from trading an arm and a leg to bring in Russell Wilson. Of course the Wilson trade (and succeeding contract) was one of the worst in league history, but the team has confidence about what Nix can do going forward.
Houston Texans
Heading into the season, we ranked the Houston Texans as having one of the best receiving corps in the NFL. Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell formed an unmatched trio for C.J. Stroud to throw to. Unfortunately, Collins got hurt, and Diggs followed up. Diggs ACL tear will hold him out for the season.
Houston wants to win the championship this year, and although they are set up for the future, they might decide to go all in. No one could better replicate the production lost in those injuries than Kupp could.
Indianapolis Colts
Dropped passes have not been the issue in Indianapolis. Instead, the Colts offense has underwhelmed because Anthony Richardson has been historically inaccurate. He is only completing 44.4% of his passes, which led to the team benching him ahead of Week 9. Joe Flacco might be able to turn the Colts offense around, as he did when he filled in at quarterback for the Browns last season.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars have invested heavily into the receiver position. Brian Thomas was selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and the team gave free agent contracts to Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis in recent offseasons. It hasn't been enough, as the Jaguars have been one of the worst teams in the NFL so far.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs will always be active in the trade market as long as they are Super Bowl contenders, which will seemingly be for the duration of Patrick Mahomes career. They've already made moves for DeAndre Hopkins and Josh Uche, though, the former of which is a receiver, so another trade seems excessive.
However, the Chiefs are thinner at receiver than they anticipated. Tight end Travis Kelce hasn't been as dominant as usual, and Xavier Worthy is only a rookie. Additionally, Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown suffered season-ending injuries.
Las Vegas Raiders
Cooper Kupp has good years ahead of him, but it is probably safe to say he is past his prime. We've seen star receivers suit up for the Raiders in the back half of their careers before. Jerry Rice and Randy Moss are two names that come to mind.
Los Angeles Chargers
The offseason saw the Los Angeles Chargers lose Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Gerald Everett, and Austin Ekeler, who all joined new teams. The Chargers are still trying to replace those players, especially the two receivers. Justin Herbert is too good to be surrounded by such a poor group of receivers.
Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa's injury proved that the Miami Dolphins need him to be healthy for their offense to have any chance. Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill – the latter of whom is arguably the best receiver in football – didn't do much while he was hurt. Regardless, the team has been lacking a third option in the passing game for quite some time now.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are one of the best fits for Cooper Kupp. Not only do they have arguably the worst receiving corps in football, but they have a young quarterback (Drake Maye) leading the way who needs all of the help he can get while trying to develop into a superstar.
New York Jets
On paper, a Cooper Kupp-New York Jets trade doesn't make a lot of sense. Mike Williams, Allen Lazard, and Garrett Wilson started the season on the team, and the Jets have since added Davante Adams to that group.
However, Aaron Rodgers seems to get what he wants in New York. If the quarterback decides that he wants Cooper Kupp, then the Jets will probably go out and get him.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are arguably the most receiver-needy team in the NFL. They've been rumored to various pass catchers over the last year, but they haven't pulled the trigger on a trade for any of them. Maybe that will finally change with Cooper Kupp.
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are yet another team that has already traded away a receiver. Having all of Tyler Boyd, Treylon Burks, Calvin Ridley, and DeAndre Hopkins on the roster was too much, so the team decided to trade the latter to the Chiefs.
The Titans' offense wasn't good enough to feed four pass catchers, so replacing Hopkins with Kupp wouldn't make much sense.
