After briefly going off the rails, the Jacksonville Jaguars have had a pretty good offseason. They hired Liam Coen as their new head coach, and he's proceeded to fill his staff, which should be taken care of soon. The Jags have also begun their search for a new general manager, and once they get one, they'll fully turn their attention to improving the roster. One area that could use a boost is wide receiver, and the team's brass can address it by trading for a proven star.
Wide receiver Cooper Kupp announced that the Los Angeles Rams told him they'll be trading him, noting that he's not thrilled with the decision but they'll be working with him to ensure they find the best suitable destination for him and his family.
"I was informed that the team will be seeking a trade immediately and will be working with me and my family to find the right place to continue competing for championships," Kupp said on Twitter. "I don't agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA. Still, if there's one thing that I have learned over the years: there are so many things that are out of your control, but it is how you respond to these things that you will look back on and remember."
Kupp goes on to say that he had the best training camp of his career last year and preparations for 2025 have begun. Below is the full tweet.
I was informed that the team will be seeking a trade immediately and will be working with me and my family to find the right place to continue competing for championships. I don’t agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA.
— Cooper Kupp (@CooperKupp) February 4, 2025
Still, if there’s… pic.twitter.com/XWmbGVscGy
A third-round pick in 2017, Kupp quickly established himself as a key contributor for the Rams in his rookie season, registering 62 receptions for 869 yards with five touchdowns. However, injuries cut his sophomore campaign short, and he wasn't nearly as productive. The Eastern Washington product would bounce back nicely and solidify his place as one of the best receivers in the league in the next two years.
It was in 2021 that Kupp earned the triple crown, meaning that he led the NFL in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16). Unfortunately, injuries have hampered his production the past three years. In that snap, he's sat out 18 games. Add the fact that he's set to count $20 million against the cap next season, and it's easy to understand why the Rams want to move on from him.
How Cooper Kupp would help the Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars tried to bolster their wide receiver corps last offseason with mixed results. On the one hand, they hit it out of the ballpark when they drafted Brian Thomas Jr. with the No. 23 overall pick. The former LSU Tiger went on to play like a vested veteran and broke several team records along the way. On the other hand, the front office gave Gabe Davis a three-year deal worth $39 million in free agency, but he left much to be desired.
While Thomas will be an important piece on the Jaguars offense for the foreseeable future, the rest of Trevor Lawrence's arsenal is in need of an immediate boost. Davis could bounce back in 2025, but there's no guarantee he will. Moreover, Christian Kirk will tentatively be a cap casualty. If he leaves, he'll leave a massive void. Jacksonville can fill it by bringing Cooper Kupp in.
As noted before, Kupp will count $20 million against the Rams' cap in 2020; $5.5 million of that is guaranteed. By trading him, Los Angeles will incur $22 million in dead cap and won't get any space. This means that they're looking to unload the 2021 First-Team All-Pro in exchange for draft picks.
If the Jags traded for Kupp, they would be on the hook for the $16 million remaining in his salary. They have the space and the draft picks to pull it off. They acquired an extra third-round and a fourth last year when they agreed to a deal with the Minnesota Vikings to move down six spots in the first round. The front office could use those picks to target the Rams star receiver.
With Kupp, they would get an immediate replacement for Kirk. Throughout his stint in Los Angeles, he's lined up in the slot 65 percent of the time, a similar amount to his Jaguars counterpart. Head coach Liam Coen was part of the Rams staff from 2018-2020, so he knows firsthand what he can bring to the table, even if injuries have taken some of his speed away.
The bottom line is that the Jacksonville Jaguars could most definitely use Cooper Kupp, and Liam Coen's familiarity with him could incentivize them to pull the trigger.