Vikings Officially to Sign Rams $80 Million All-Pro Star

Vikings Officially to Sign Rams $80 Million All-Pro Star

 

After another strong, yet not quite successful, season, the Los Angeles Rams are faced with a significant decision regarding one of their most consistent and outstanding players, who has been a key part of the team since its return to Southern California. The two-time All-Pro, and 2021 Offensive Player of the Year, has been one of the NFL’s top slot receivers since entering the league in 2017, drafted in the third round from Eastern Washington.

 

 

 

That player is, of course, 31-year-old Cooper Kupp. While Kupp has battled injuries over the past three seasons, including missing five games in 2024, he still played a role in helping the Rams secure their fourth NFC West Division title since the team moved to Los Angeles in 2017 from St. Louis, where the franchise had been since 1995.

 

 

 

 

The Rams, originally the Cleveland Rams in 1937, relocated west in 1946, establishing themselves at the Los Angeles Coliseum, where they played until 1980. That year, they moved south to Anaheim, sharing Anaheim Stadium (now Angel Stadium) with baseball’s California Angels (now the Los Angeles Angels) through the 1994 season.

 

Since the Rams’ return to Los Angeles, Kupp has become a fixture.

Since the Rams returned to Los Angeles—well, technically Inglewood, just south of LA, where they now play in the state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium—Cooper Kupp has been a pivotal player. He caught the game-winning touchdown from quarterback Matthew Stafford with 1:25 left in Super Bowl LVI, completing a Rams comeback for a 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. That win gave the Rams their first and only Super Bowl championship in Los Angeles, with the franchise’s previous title coming in St. Louis during the 1999 season.

 

 

 

 

However, it now looks like Kupp may be leaving Los Angeles. If the Rams release him before June 1, they can free up $7.52 million in cap space. Kupp, who signed a three-year, $80.1 million contract in 2022, has a base salary of $12.5 million for 2025, with roughly $5 million guaranteed due to bonuses and other provisions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alternatively, the Rams could trade Kupp, and the Minnesota Vikings seem to be a likely destination. Fansided NFL columnist John Buhler noted, “I would be lying to you if I did not think the Minnesota Vikings would be a great fit for Kupp as well.”

One reason for this: Kupp would be reunited with head coach Kevin O’Connell, who served as the Rams’ offensive coordinator during Kupp’s career-best 2021 season. That year, Kupp led the NFL in touchdowns (16), receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947), and average yards per game (114.5).

 

New England Is “Obvious” to Kupp in the Pats’ New Era

 

However, another writer from the same site, Christopher Kline, believes there is only one “obvious” destination for Cooper Kupp: the New England Patriots. Despite two consecutive 4-13 seasons, there is optimism at Gillette Stadium following the hiring of new head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who is returning to New England. Adding to the excitement is the 2024 No. 3 overall draft pick, Drake Maye, who showed great potential in his rookie season, starting 12 games.

 

 

 

“With Vrabel taking over as head coach and implementing a distinctly Patriots-like system (Josh McDaniels, anyone?), Drake Maye is positioned for something that smells an awful lot like success,” Kline wrote. “As a rookie, Maye didn’t have a reliable WR1 to depend on late in games or when the pocket broke down. Kupp can fill that role.”

 

 

 

A move to the Patriots would also reunite Kupp with his college teammate, Kendrick Bourne, with whom he played at Eastern Washington from 2013 to 2016. Bourne has already reached out to Kupp on social media, posting a message that reads, “Come to NE @CooperKupp we’ll take care of u lol all the targets!”