WR Cooper Kupp can take the LA Rams passing game to the next level

LA Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp enters his contract year in 2020. Look for him to single-handedly take the team’s passing game to the next level

Right now, much of the NFL media focus is aimed at the LA Rams outgoing 2020 free agents. What little attention is left fuels the rumors swirling about Rams running back Todd Gurley. While those are certainly very important issues, they are today’s matters.  In three months, most matters will resolve, for better or worse.  What the team will be left with is the best roster money and skill can assemble to compete in the 2020 NFL season. Whomever the Rams acquire, sign, or promote, there is one certainty to the 2020 NFL Rams roster.  WR Cooper Kupp will be the featured target in the passing game.

Sometimes it’s easy to take the play of Kupp for granted.  In a season of disappointments, Kupp quietly pushed through his career best one-season performance. A year after a season ending ACL injury, Kupp caught 94 passes for 1,161 yards and 10 touchdowns.  The best news? He’s still playing on a rookie contract.

2020 will be Cooper Kupp’s contract year.  And for what it’s worth, NFL players typically break through all previous career records when they are playing for a new NFL contract.  Adding to the “breakout year” belief is the uptick in Kupp’s production for each season he has played in the NFL so far.  While his second year receiving yards declined due to injury, it bears a closer look

Season Targets     Completions      Yards         TDs            YPT        YPC             No. Off. Snaps
2017          94                62                     869             5              9.24      14.02               736
2018          55                40                     566             6            10.29      14.15               439
2019        134               94                  1,161           10              8.66      12.35               884
2020         ???

Now, let’s see about filling in the blanks for 2020.