Cooper Kupp: The Hot Free Agent

The NFL free agency period is heating up, and one of the most talked-about players is Cooper Kupp. The wide receiver was designated as a post-June 1 cut by the Los Angeles Rams. This means he is now free to sign with any team. Several teams are interested in Kupp. The New England Patriots are one of the teams showing interest in Kupp. The Patriots have reached out to Kupp, but they are not the only team in the running. The Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans are also in the mix. The Seattle Seahawks are also mentioned as a potential suitor. Kupp is from Yakima, Washington, and the Seahawks have a need for a starter-caliber wide receiver after losing Tyler Lockett and D. K. Metcalf. Kupp is expected to command a significant salary. A deal averaging around $12 million per year has been mentioned. This is a lot of money, but Kupp has a proven track record. He has won a Super Bowl MVP award and has two 1, 000-yard receiving seasons under his belt. Other receivers, like Davante Adams and Darius Slayton, have recently signed big contracts. Adams signed a $23 million per year deal with $20 million guaranteed. Slayton signed for $12 million per year. Slayton is not as accomplished as Kupp, but he is younger and has not had as many injuries. The Patriots have had trouble attracting receivers in recent years. They lost out on Calvin Ridley and Brandon Aiyuk. The Bengals took Tee Higgins off the market, and the Patriots did not make it to the top of the list for Kupp. The Rams were willing to eat salary to facilitate a swap, but no club wanted to take on Kupp’s Rams deal. The Patriots are interested in Kupp, but his asking price is viewed as too steep for their liking. The Jaguars and Texans are also in the running for Kupp. The Jaguars traded Christian Kirk to the Texans for a low-end return. New Jaguars head coach Liam Coen coached Kupp as Rams receivers coach and OC. New Jacksonville GM James Gladstone also comes from the Rams. The Texans’ new OC, Nick Caley, was Rams tight ends coach for two seasons. The Jaguars may have a greater need for a receiver, but the Texans may not have Tank Dell for much of the 2025 season. Kupp played at Division I-FCS Eastern Washington before being drafted by the Rams in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The Seahawks bringing Kupp home to help Sam Darnold makes sense, but the other batch of experienced receivers in free agency provides alternative options in the event the price point for a player who has missed 18 games since that Super Bowl MVP award escalates too far.