[BobCarl]

Imagine if no one wants him .... Do Rams then cut him?

Kupp is set to pocket $20 mill this year and $20 mill next year ... also there is an additional $9 mill salary cap hit this year and an additional $8 mill salary cap hit next year for previous bonuses/restructures. $57 mill cap hit over 2025 and 2026

This kind of money is untenable.

Rams have to extract every penny possible out of that salary cap hit. There is no getting out of the $17 mill cap hit that they have already paid him.

The only question is: How much more of that salary cap space can the team save?

If no trade happens, then I expect yes they'll cut him. Maybe his 2026 Salary isn't guaranteed yet. His 2026 roster bonus becomes guaranteed in March of this year, and 2.5 mill of his $7.5 mill roster bonus for this year isn't guaranteed (yet).

By cutting him, the Rams save $22 mill in cap space over two years. With a trade they'll save even more.

[ramman2999]

I said that Eagles game was huge. It was the last game of Stafford and Kupp together. And I knew it.

Teams he will probably get traded to.

1. L.A. Chargers. Young Quarterback proven Justin Herbert. Head coach champion took a team to the Super Bowl Jim Harbaugh.

Solid vets culture. Cooper Kupp has a solid base foundation in the city of L.A. he doesn’t have to go far. Practice facility El Segundo. Sofi. Stadium right there. Why leave. Chargers have Capp space and need a wide receiver. Make it happen. They are a contending team contending for a Super Bowl. Do it for Kupp and his family. Everybody happy. Kupp competes stays in L.A. Rams trade him in a different conference.

2. Chiefs Patrick Mahomes play with the best try to win a Super Bowl. Not sure Deandre Hopkins is coming back. Andy Reid is a great coach.

3. Buffalo Bills Josh Allen. Not sure Amari Cooper is coming back.

4. Washington Commanders. Play with Jayden Daniels. They need some receivers. Well do right by Cooper Kupp.

[Dare]

IMO the logical destination for Kupp would be Detroit. Holmes knows Kupp well, and Cooper would be reunited with Goff who launched his career. I know Jared would love to have Cooper combined with St. Brown they would be deadly.

Alex Anzalone ILB would be the logical trade for player. Alex will be 31 this season but is still playing at a high level. He's at 6'3" a big body ILB who is fully capable of playing the MIKE role. As a rookie, he timed at 4.6 so he's mobile. He would be the perfect bridge for a 3rd round rookie. I see them signing Alex for two years but with a third option year added to spread the cap hit. He's due about $7.2M on his current contract which isn't extravagant. It would be a win win for both teams and also for both players. Anzalone paired with Speights allows Shula to play a base nickel with two quality ILBs.

IMO this would seem to me to suggest that Stafford will be a one year bridge QB and will be paid probably about $40M so the Rams need the cap space from Kupp. It's sad to see Cooper go but the handwriting was on the wall since the end of the season.

I would assume they will extend Robinson, to go along with Nacua, and Whittington as the starters and Smith to fill Atwell's role and return punts as well. Tyler Johnson would give them a 5 deep WR room.

[rams74]

... Stafford will be a one year bridge QB ...

I don't think you know what a bridge is. A bridge is something to take you from where you were, to where you're going.

Stafford can't be his own bridge. He's Matthew Stafford.

Brett Favre wasn't a bridge QB just because Aaron Rodgers was waiting in the wings. Aaron Rodgers wasn't a bridge QB just because Jordan Love was waiting in the wings. In those two cases, the Packers didn't use a bridge quarterback, they just transitioned to the next guy.

[AvengerRam]

This one is really tough. It makes sense from a cost vs. production standpoint but, man... I hate to see him go.

[majik]

I don’t see any team trading for Kupp tied to the contract he currently has for the next two years.

He will probably be cut right before that roster bonus in March kicks in. If cut, we save about $7.5 in cap space for 2025 (pre-June 1st). Is keeping Kupp worth that $7.5M we gain?

In other words, is signing a replacement for the No. 3 WR going to cost us more than $7.5M and would they match what Kupp brings to this team (both on and off the field)?

[actionjack]

Def a sad day to be a Ram fan. End of an era, I hope the Rams are making the right decision.
I feel Kupp does have more left in the tank, but this might be a case of getting out a year early for the Rams then a year late.

[BobCarl]

1. L.A. Chargers. Young Quarterback proven Justin Herbert. Head coach champion took a team to the Super Bowl Jim Harbaugh.

Kupp could be a huge help the Chargers, but mostly as a checkdown receiver, don't know if they want to pay what it takes to employ him

2. Chiefs Patrick Mahomes play with the best try to win a Super Bowl. Not sure Deandre Hopkins is coming back. Andy Reid is a great coach.

Kupp isn't a diva, but in name alone he will be a distraction. Kupp's uncanny ability to make in-route adjustments based on coverage could mesh quickly with Mahomes being able to extend plays. This duo would be dangerous.

3. Buffalo Bills Josh Allen. Not sure Amari Cooper is coming back.

Cooper can't replace Cooper. (Kupp can't replace Amari)

4. Washington Commanders. Play with Jayden Daniels. They need some receivers. Well do right by Cooper Kupp.

Will a 2nd year QB be able to utilize Kupp's advanced abilities? If anyone can, it will be Daniels. If not, Kupp's talents and will be wasted and his stats deflated.

New Orleans: I might add that cerebral element of Stafford's game is most like Derek Carr's. Kupp would save Carr's career and together they'd put up some great numbers. Carr has not lived up to his pay scale and has become the ire of many Saints fans.

[BobCarl]

He will probably be cut right before that roster bonus in March kicks in. If cut, we save about $7.5 in cap space for 2025 (pre-June 1st).

$5 mill of amount that is already guaranteed. If nobody picks him up, then the Rams will be eating this

[Dare]

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