Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp is on the trade block, and ESPN thinks the Pittsburgh Steelers are the perfect trade partner to give the 31-year-old a fresh start.
“Teams with plenty of volume to give out in the passing game are best for Kupp, as his best strength is his ability to move sticks consistently as an underneath receiver in the quick passing game,” NFL analyst Ben Solak wrote on Friday. “Plenty of teams have playmaking receivers but need more consistency; plenty of teams with disappointing tertiary receiving options would benefit from targets to Kupp instead. The Steelers, Cardinals, Packers, Cowboys, Chargers and Jaguars all make sense to varying degrees>
Kupp made 67 catches on 100 targets for 710 yards and six touchdowns across 12 games for the Rams last season. He would join his new team with two years remaining on his three-year contract extension with $12.5 million in base salary due this season and $14.85 million in base salary next year, according to Spotrac.
Solak predicted that trading for Kupp would cost the Steelers a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick, and Pittsburgh would acquire a 2026 sixth-round pick in addition to the Super Bowl LVI MVP.
“The optimal world has the Rams swallowing the roster bonus on Kupp to make him more tradeable, then finding a landing spot he likes in a role that suits him,” Solak wrote. “My favorite here is the Steelers, as Kupp can be their primary pass catcher.
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“… Who will throw passes to Kupp? If it’s a young quarterback like Justin Fields or a rookie, Kupp will be a huge benefit.”
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