[Youngblood22]

I think KUPP could play TE. yes, no, thoughts?

[BobCarl]

A bridge QB is the guy usually a veteran player bridging the time gap before a rookie is ready to start. Okay clear enough?

We don't want Garoppolo to be that guy. He's a disaster. Stafford has higher earning potential than to be just a "bridge QB"

[BobCarl]

I think KUPP could play TE. yes, no, thoughts?

he often lines up as a TE, and is good at blocking for finesse run plays, but you don't want him being your 6th offensive lineman on 3rd and 1

[Elvis]

[Elvis]

[ramsman34]

The more I think about this, the more convinced I am that Kupp not only would not agree to a pay cut, but also was not happy about his “use” down the stretch. He truly believes he is still elite. And, the Rams simply don’t think he is elite to the tune of his cap hit. The Rams also know they can use those resources to improve in multiple areas.

[FMulder]

I agree with this, but it seems to represent an irrationally loyal, financially questionable trend the Rams have exhibited at times. NOBODY felt that Kupp was not one of the best WRs in the league. However, he received a very very very big contract in terms of $, length, and guarantees that didn’t seem to match some of the concerns some of us had at the time.

Kupp was on the wrong side of 30. Kupp suffered injuries that kept him out for periods of time and impacted his performance at times, while playing. Specifically, he suffered a variety of lower body injuries. And as a WR, those are deathly. Putting the length of the contract and its value into play, Kupp would have had to perform at his pre-2024 levels for at least another 3 years to make the extension justifiable IMO. That’s an awfully big ask, especially for a WR who has put a lot of miles on his body and made his living with precise route running and separation. The fear of those concerns came again this season. Another year in which he suffered injuries (and lower body ones at that) resulting in greater difficulty in getting that necessary separation that helped made him elite.

I want to be clear. Kupp is one of my fave Rams ever. He epitomizes what every Ram should aspire to be. He is unselfish, a tireless worker at his craft, a great teammate, a clutch performer, and an all-around cool guy. That said, the Rams put themselves into a bit of a corner by acknowledging all of those things contractually, at the most tenuous time of his career.

It is a laudable trait to treat your stars well in all aspects, including financially. To show recognition and appreciation etc. However, this feels, to a lesser degree, like the Gurley situation where to me it was becoming obvious that a guy with a rebuilt knee being used at a high rate, getting towards “middle-age” as the type of RB he was, was on the wrong side of things. Instead he got a huge contract and again put financial constraints on the ability to do some things to help the team going forward.

There are way too many examples of teams using up players and then tossing them to the curb. There are way too many examples of teams penny pinching players to death or not compensating them for their value. However, sometimes I think the Rams go too far the other way(?).

I think the fans that are critical of some of these contractual moves (me) are NOT critical of the player. I think Kupp can be a contributor going forward. I just have doubts that he can return to his previous levels and/or sustain them for more than a year or so. Based on that fear, I think it is necessary to move on. However, I think in terms of the Gurley and Kupp situations it was almost as if they were giving them contracts on their past performance vs their realistic expectations of their performance going forward.

Just my .02

[Youngblood22]

Its sad for me to think of kupp leaving, I was born in southern california but lived in Yakima WA for 25 years, (now in big bear) while I was living there I worked right across the street from Davis high school where kupp went to school, I often wonder if I stood next to him in a store or at the mall. We used to chase the high school kids out of the parking lot that were ditching class. I think he can be a NFL coach someday. Good luck cooper.