The Kansas City Chiefs are in desperate need of help at the wide receiver position. And it just so happens that wideout Cooper Kupp is being shopped by the Los Angeles Rams, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini on October 22.
“The Rams have called multiple teams about trading former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp sources tell @mikesilver, @jourdanrodrigue, and me,” Russini wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “The Rams have indicated a willingness to take on some of the ‘24 salary and are seeking a 2nd round pick.”
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This obviously sparked some discussion on X regarding a potential trade that would send Kupp to the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
“If there’s any team we’d want Cooper Kupp to go to finish his career, it would be KC,” the Rams Brothers podcast wrote. Get to play with the best QB in the world and have a chance to win more Super Bowls, which would give him a better chance at becoming a future HoF’er. But damn, it would break our hearts.
“uh oh! Cooper Kupp in trade talks. I think Chiefs are gonna get him,” another person wrote. “If Chiefs get Kupp, they winning the championship for the next 2 to 3 years. ha. They’ll have a 4 to 5 peat.”
“This makes way too much sense for the chiefs imo,” another person wrote. “You got your field stretcher with worthy + your short stuff with Kelce. Let Kupp be your chain mover.”
Dianna Russini Stresses How Cap-Strapped Chiefs Are
Speaking to the “The Dan Le Batard Show With Stugotz” on October 22, Russini was asked about the Chiefs being a potential candidate for Kupp, and how their lack of cap space could impact the transaction.
“If the Rams are willing to take on the salary I’ve heard they’re willing to do, they are definitely open to trading Cooper Kupp. So we’ll see if they’ll be able to get a deal done,” Russini said. “I just don’t think Kansas City has even enough money even if the Rams were to take on some of that salary. That’s been the problem and the reason why they haven’t been able to go after a Davante Adams, an Amari Cooper like we’ve seen other teams be aggressive with.”
Chiefs Have Long Odds to Land Cooper Kupp at Current Price
According to the NFLPA Public Salary Cap Report, the Chiefs have $4.3 million in cap space.
Heading into the 2024 season, Kupp was owed a $9.1 million base salary. Russini reported that Los Angeles is willing to take on “some” of what’s left from his 2024 salary. In 2025, Kupp is owed $5 million in guarantees and has no guaranteed money in 2026, per Spotrac.
It’s possible that the Chiefs could financially fit Kupp onto the roster if the Rams take enough of Kupp’s salary. But trading for a 31-year-old player who has missed 11 games since the start of the 2022 season in exchange for a second-round pick is a big ask from the Rams, who are trying to unload a player near the end of his career.
Kupp undoubtedly is still talented and can be productive when healthy. But the injuries are beginning to pile up for him, making him a short-term option on the trade market with a sizable price tag.
