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The Los Angeles Rams might not be as close to an extension with wide receiver Cooper Kupp as previously thought.
Rams head coach Sean McVay said “it is the hope” the team can reach an agreement with Kupp prior to the start of the season, per The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue.
Sean McVay says that “it is the hope” that the Rams get a deal done with WR Cooper Kupp this week.
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) September 9, 2020
However, Steve Wyche of NFL Network reported “there is a lot of work to be done” to finalize a deal before the season begins.
The @RamsNFL are working on an extension for WR @CooperKupp. The hope is to get it done before the opener but I am told there is a lot of work to be done for that to happen.
— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) September 9, 2020
The Rams announced Wednesday they had announced a landmark deal with star cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
However, it is possible Ramsey's $105 million could pose an issue for a deal with Kupp. While it seems the deal was done primarily to create more salary-cap flexibility, the Rams have a lot of lucrative contracts on the books.
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And the many bad, big contracts the Rams have given out has absolutely hurt them. Money to pay quality depth has not been there. If a team is willing to pay a ton of upfront bonus money, it can always re-sign stars.
Salary-cap hell is felt at the margins, in team depth
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) September 9, 2020
Los Angeles cut former All-Pro running back Todd Gurley to save money against the cap, then decided it was willing to eat some of Brandin Cooks' dead-cap money to move him to the Houston Texans.
Meanwhile, the early returns on quarterback Jared Goff's sizable deal were not great after Goff regressed in 2020.
That being said, Kupp is clearly deserving of a pay raise.
The 27-year-old set career-high marks in receptions (94), yards (1,161) and touchdowns (10), and he is among the most sure-handed receivers in football. Kupp should once again play a large role in L.A.'s offense as a guy who constantly creates mismatches in the slot.
It remains to be seen whether the two sides can reach an accord or not prior to the Rams' Week 1 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. But all indications are L.A. is trying to win now, and extending Kupp would make that objective a priority.
