With their defense among the league’s best nearly halfway through the 2024 season, the Denver Broncos can focus on their weaker offense at the trade deadline.
A trade for a Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion might seem prohibitive given the cost of doing business for such players in most circumstances. But the Los Angeles Rams and wide receiver Cooper Kupp could be heading for a trade.
The Broncos could be a team to watch if they do.
Fantasy Life’s Ian Hartitz listed the Broncos as a destination “[I] don’t hate” for Kupp in a post on X on October 23. This Heavy Sports trade proposal would land Kupp at his rumored cost.
Broncos get:
- Cooper Kupp
Rams get:
- Jarrett Stidham
- 2025 second-round pick
Kupp, 31, has appeared in two games in 2024, and he has played in a full slate of games once. That was in 2021 when he was a Pro Bowler. Kupp caught 145 passes for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns that season, all of which led the league.
The Rams won the Super Bowl following that regular season.
However, he has caught 134 of 193 targets for 1,549 yards and 11 touchdowns in the 2022 and 2023 seasons combined (21 games). Kupp has an 18-147-1 line in his two games played in 2024.
Rams Willing to Pay Portion of Cooper Kupp’s Remaining Salary
“The Los Angeles Rams have spoken with teams about a potential trade involving star wide receiver Cooper Kupp, league sources said,” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Michael Silver, and Jourdan Rodrigue wrote on October 23.
“Sources with knowledge of those conversations said the Rams indicated to them that they would be open to taking on some of Kupp’s remaining salary in 2024. Kupp’s base salary entering the season was $15 million with a cap number of $29 million. He also is due a $7.5 million roster bonus in March, according to Over the Cap, with $5 million guaranteed. Those sources added that the Rams indicated to them they were seeking a second-round pick.”
Kupp is in Year 1 of a three-year, $80.1 million contract.
How much of his remaining salary the Rams would pick up in a trade remains unclear. But at least one team – the Broncos division rival Kansas City Chiefs – went in a different direction.
“The Rams and the Chiefs discussed Cooper Kupp, but the Super Bowl champs needed to trade with a team that was willing to take on a large chunk of the salary and didn’t want to give up high picks,” Russini reported in a post on X on October 23. “Tennessee is the team willing to play ball.”
Asked how much of Kupp’s salary the Rams will pay, Russini said, “Some not a large amount.”
The Chiefs opted instead to trade a conditional fifth-round pick to the Tennessee Titans for five-time Pro Bowler DeAndre Hopkins. This trade will not put the Broncos on the reining champs’ level – there might not be a singular move possible that can do that.
Broncos Can Use Backup QB in Trade to Fuel Playoff Push
Adding Kupp could give the Broncos a significant advantage in the race for a Wild Card spot. A win in Week 8 would increase the Broncos’ chances of making the playoffs to 52%, per NFL.com’s Playoff Picture on October 23.
The Broncos have $4 million in space, per Over The Cap, who projects them to have $71.8 million in 2025.
Including Stidham in the trade would clear an additional $6 million in cap space for the Broncos.
That would be enough for Kupp even if the Rams were unwilling to pay some of his remaining salary. ESPN’s Jeff Legwold wrote on October 23 that the Broncos “need draft capital – which would nix a deal for Kupp – and would listen to “any and all” offers for their backup QBs.
Both of Bo Nix’s backups are in the final years of their respective contracts. Zach Wilson’s trade value may be higher. But moving Stidham would clear more space, so he is the choice.
