5 NFL teams who are the clear front-runners to trade for Rams WR Cooper Kupp

As soon as LA Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp announced on social media that the team had informed him that it would 'seek an immediate trade,' of Kupp to a new team, there was one thing that was glaringly omitted from that reported rumor. The Rams have no trade partner. Of course, when information like that is made public, the phone will ring from 31 NFL general managers inquiring what the Rams are seeking in terms of the asking price.

But as the report was stated in Kupp's own words, the team will work with Cooper Kupp and his family to ensure that he lands on a team that will continue to compete for a championship. But by the very definition, at least 10 NFL teams are eliminated from further consideration from the get-go.

There there is a matter of salary cap space. As of right now, any team trading for Kupp inherits his salary plus roster bonus. That is slated at $20 million in 2025, and slightly less in 2026. That has been confirmed by ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter:

So any team with interest in trading for Kupp must have sufficient cap space to do so, be in the running to compete in the postseason, and need a team leader at wide receiver for 2025 That may be a bit limiting. But it did not stump NFL Insider and analyst Dan Orlovsky, who ripped off four NFL teams that he felt should be interested.

He listed those teams within minutes of Kupp's announcement.

I'm not sure I agree with his list, but it did prompt me to weigh in on five NFL teams that I felt are an ideal landing site for Kupp and his family. So without further adieu, let's get right to it.

(5) - Buffalo Bills

It seems relatively simplistic to link a player to an NFL team through a possible trade based on one historical image of that player wearing another team's hat, but that is where I find the first starting point for what will prove to be a very complex and dynamic discussion.

The Buffalo Bills were 13-4 in 2024, boasting the tenth-ranked overall offense, second-ranked scoring offense, ninth-ranked rushing offense, and ninth-ranked passing offense in the NFL. The Bills offense is dangerous because it is so very balanced. Much like the direction that Sean McVay has vowed to take the Rams offense in 2025, the Bills offense wins by getting a lot of production from so many players. 13 receivers caught at least one touchdown pass for the team in 2024. No receiver had more than 821 receiving yards last season.

In 12 games, Kupp hauled in 67 passes for 710 yards and six touchdowns. That would place him as the second best receiver on the Bills roster in terms of receiving yards, and make him their top scorer.

That should be worth a phone call:

Unlike some NFL veteran wide receivers, Cooper Kupp is generous with his time, wisdom, and football knowledge. That is vital for an NFL team that needs a leader at the wide receiver position. Kupp is not a prima donna. He does not pout if he doesn't get the football. He simply works all the harder to ensure he is open for the next game.

The Bills would benefit greatly from adding Cooper Kupp. But they are just one team. There are others who may be an even better fit:

(4) - Houston Texans

There are simply too many logical links to Cooper Kupp from one of the myriad of coaches who have gone on to advance their NFL careers with new teams, so I will let you connect those dots. But there is one recent hire from the LA Rams coaching staff that makes sense to lean into his team and put pressure to trade for veteran WR Cooper Kupp. That is former Rams Pass Game Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach Nick Caley, who has signed on with the Houston Texans as their new offensive coordinator.

Who better to bring aboard the Texans roster than Cooper Kupp to help retrain the Texans receivers in their new offensive philosophy and strategy? Seriously, trading for Kupp brings the benefits of a player and a coach combined. And with a new offensive coordinator, the benefits of getting buy-in from players, often the most difficult step in the process, is virtually assured if the offensive coordinator seeds the roster with a player from his former team.

The Texans offense regressed in 2024, as is sometimes the case. The team had a primary running back in veteran Joe Mixon. The team has a primary receiver in Nico Collins. Once again, even with playing just 12 games, inserting Cooper Kupp into the Texans offense would instantly give them a solid WR2 behind Collins, both in terms of receiving yards and touchdowns.

But Kupp brings more than on-field production. Texans QB C.J. Stroud is entering his third NFL season, perhaps the most important season of his NFL career. If you think back, that would equate to 2018 for former Rams QB Jared Goff, and became the season that Goff led the Rams to Super Bowl LIII. Kupp may not possess the jets to fly by defensive backs on the football field. But he remains a gritty receiver who can create separation, get yards after the catch, and block like a tight end.

Will the Texans trade for Cooper Kupp? I don't know. Should the Texans trade for Cooper Kupp? Only if they want to win a Super Bowl.

(3) - Philadelphia Eagles

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. And for the Philadelphia Eagles, perhaps the best way for their defense to get WR Cooper Kupp harnessed is to sign him to their own roster. Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the LA Rams in both games that they squared off in 2024 (once in the regular season, once in the 2025 NFL Playoffs). But you cannot fault Rams WR Cooper Kupp for those losses.

In those two games against the Eagles combined, Kupp hauled in 13 of 18 passes for 121 yards and one touchdown. That works out to a 72.2 percent catch rate, which is very impressive for a guy who finds himself on the trading block. Perhaps the better measure is what Eagles players think of Cooper Kupp.

In one word, Eagles players have this to say about Cooper Kupp: Respect:

The Philadelphia Eagles offense was supercharged with the addition of RB Saquon Barkley. They fielded the eighth-ranked offense, second-ranked rushing offense, seventh-ranked scoring offense, and 29th-ranked passing offense. Of course, when the offensive formula is run Barkley right, run Barkley left, run Barkley into the end zone, a pedestrian passing offense is easy to ignore.

Which is exactly why the Eagles cannot afford to do so.

Unlike other teams on this list, the Philadelphia Eagles have two veteran wide receivers whose production stands up very well to Cooper Kupp's 2024 numbers. But win or lose Super Bowl LIX, the Eagles roster will undergo some changes in 2025. And as we all know, smart NFL teams jump on opportunities when they occur. Cooper Kupp is a quality locker room kind of player. The Eagles may need that calming instructive veteran to help QB Jalen Hurts achieve his optimal NFL play-making ability.

Better to take the chance, then live with regrets for never having done so.

(2) - Washington Commanders

I feel as though some may view my listing the Washington Commanders here as simply one more link to the 'pop' NFL team. But try as I might not to list the Commanders, the compelling reasons to do so far outweighed by paltry reasons that served to fuel my reluctance. So here we go.

The Washington Commanders fielded the NFL's seventh-ranked offense, fifth-ranked scoring offense, third-ranked rushing offense, and 17th-ranked passing offense. As many accolades you likely read about Commanders rookie QB Jayden Daniels for his 2024 performance, he was bolstered by an outstanding rushing offense that put up 2,619 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns last season.

The Commander ran 526 times, and passed just 525 times. Once more, dropping Kupp's 12-game performance from 2024 into the Commanders final season statistics sets Kupp at the second most proficient receiver in terms of yards, and third most proficient receiver in terms of scoring.

And a former NFL player-turned-analyst, Robert Griffin III, sees a perfect setup for Kupp as an ideal complement to Commanders WR Terry McLaurin:

Would a change of scenery to the Commander's offense benefit Kupp? You decide. But keep in mind that veteran tight end Zach Ertz hauled in 66 of 91 targets for 654 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024 in the Commanders offense. He had not put up numbers anywhere close to that level since 2019 with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Perhaps the Washington Commanders do possess a fountain of youth for veteran players. If it works for Ertz, why not trade for Cooper Kupp?

(1) - Minnesota VIkings

Did I save the best for last? I know that Rams WR Cooper Kupp will inevitably be linked to his former offensive coordinator, now Minnesota Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell. The Vikings managed to resuscitate the career of veteran QB Sam Darnold in 2024. Can they do the same in 2025 by trading for Rams WR Cooper Kupp?

The Vikings offense clocked in as the 12th-ranked offense in 2024, the ninth-ranked scoring offense, the 19th-ranked rushing offense, and the sixth-ranked passing offense. The Vikings relied on RB Aaron Jones to handle the lion's share of carries last season. But former Rams RB Cam Akers averaged very similar YPC numbers on far fewer carries.

The Vikings receiver room was saturated with talent in 2024, getting huge production from both WR Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Is there room for one more? At least one person thinks so.

The Vikings have not balked when it came time to add former Rams players. They traded for former RB Cam Akers in 2023. They signed former Rams blocking TE Johnny Mundt. And they added former Rams KR/PR/WR Brandon Powell. So conceptualizing a trade that sends Kupp to the Vikings for a modest Day 3 draft pick is not absurd.

The bonus to any trade scenario with the Vikings is that it does not involve a hard sell. Kevin O'Connell coached Cooper Kupp and is intimately aware of what that player does and does not bring to the football field and the locker room. Kupp is the type of NFL player that all competitive teams need on their roster. He is always willing to contribute, is universally versatile throughout NFL offenses, and can step up from a rotational role to a starter instantly.

Just imagine a Vikings offense that fields Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Cooper Kupp on the football field simultaneously? That would be a very difficult offense to stop.

Of course, there very well could be other teams in the mix. But knowing that the Rams want to work with Kupp to find him an ideal landing spot on a very competitive team, these five teams check all the boxes. Now it's simply a matter of being patient enough to wait for the story to come to a conclusion.

As always, thanks for reading.

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