LA Rams WRs Kupp Woods dangerously competitive

The LA Rams have struck gold in the pairing of WR Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, but will this be their last season playing together?

The LA Rams have struck gold when the team paired up wide receivers Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp. Woods is the 6-foot-0 195-pound veteran of seven seasons, entering his eighth year of professional football, and fourth year with the LA Rams. Kupp is the 6-foot-2 208-pound fast riser veteran of three seasons, either his fourth season of professional football, all with the LA Rams.

Woods missed just 12 games over seven seasons.  Kupp missed nine games over three seasons. They are both proficient in the slot, can play on the outside, have great hands, a wide catch-radius, and are both very dependable in the clutch.

They are both competitive but have a way of evening things out by seasons end.  In 2019, Cooper Kupp was targeted 134 times, caught 94 passes for 1,161 yards. In the same year, Robert Woods was targeted 139 times, caught 90 passes for 1,134 yards.  Almost an identical season.

The winner is: QB Jared Goff?

The biggest winner of the Rams proficient receivers? Quarterback Jared Goff, of course.  In a recent article, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Atlantic (subscription required) described how important the pair is to Goff:

"““We are … getting to the point where you don’t really have to talk to each other,” Goff said. “You kind of just look at each other and you know what each other are thinking.”-per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Atlantic.com"

It’s a great situation for the Rams to have. Two prime receivers, both of whom are poised to put up a thousand yards per season, and both of whom are eager to help the team however it can happen. Two receivers and a quarterback who has essentially played on the same offense for the past three seasons, each knowing one another almost instinctively.

The Affordability Factor

The LA Rams have a great track record of finding top-shelf players. From free agents, the NFL Draft, and even from the ranks of players signed after the NFL Draft, the pipeline of talent continues to buoy at or near the top of the NFL at many critical positions.  Of course, that talent is what helps the Rams to remain successful despite the occasional. But it creates a lot of salary cap gyrations for the team’s front office to sustain that roster.

Right now, the LA Rams face 2021 with contracts expiring for WR Cooper Kupp, WR Josh Reynolds, TE Johnny Mundt, and TE Gerald Everett.  That is just the players who contribute as pass receivers. Can the Rams reasonably re-sign all these players? No. In fact, the Rams may be hard-pressed to retain any of them.

The pair could flirt with a combined 3,000 yards through the air this season.  And during the Virtual Tailgate event, Goff Woods and Kupp talked about getting tight end Tyler Higbee into the 1000-yard club this year. It’s possible, although the pressure of throwing the ball to tight end Gerald Everett, tight end Brycen Hopkins, wide receiver Josh Reynolds, and wide receiver Van Jefferson may limit the yardage per receiver for the top tier.

If the team does prioritize this group, Kupp is likely their top priority.  He will cost a pretty penny, as his market value will push over $16 million per year when he hits free agency. Despite an NFL salary cap projected to drop to $175 million, there are teams in the NFL with plenty of available dollars to spend on a top NFL receiver.  Will this be one more chapter for Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp playing together? Or is this their swan song?  In any case, the Rams hope this is their best year ever.