NFL insider points to 4 painfully obvious landing sites for Rams Cooper Kupp

The LA Rams have already announced they are parting ways with veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp. More specifically, Cooper Kupp himself announced the rumors. The question is that the Rams have assured Kupp that they plan to work with him and his family to ensure that he lands with a competitive NFL team of his choosing. As Rams fans know, that erodes the potential return of any trade package.

When Bleacher Report's James Palmer shared his Post-Super Bowl NFL Insider Notebook thoughts, he carved a path through several top-tier NFL players who find themselves grinding the NFL rumor mill. He discussed Myles Garrett, Deebo Samuel, Tee Higgins, and Cooper Kupp.

James Palmer cites the top return for Cooper Kupp as a Round 3 pick. But I expect that Round 4 (with his limit of getting a say-so in where Kupp ends up) is the maximum realistic return for any Cooper Kupp trade. The Rams had to settle for a Round 3 and seldom-used tight end in Hunter Long for All-Pro DB Jalen Ramsey from the Miami Dolphins. So I cannot see Kupp yielding as much.

He cited the Denver Broncos, Washington Commanders, Kansas City Chiefs, and Jacksonville Jaguars. The question is, does Cooper Kupp want to play for any of these teams? Let's flip the script and rank the least likely to most likely destination for Kupp in 2025.

(4) Jacksonville Jaguars

Palmer has certainly done his homework in citing a link between veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp and Sean McVay's understudy, Jacksonville Jaguars new HC Liam Coen. He's not going out on a limb on this speculation either, as it's rather common practice for a team to transplant players who excel in the new coach's system. Kupp is an ideal veteran for that type of role.

Kupp is not only a player who still has 1000+ receiving yards potential, but he is also a hybrid player/coach. He still knows how to get open, he is still savvy, he is still a football field warrior, and he is still the type of player who will rally young receivers on an NFL team roster.

The Jaguars fall to fourth in this list because the Jaguars are simply not a contender in 2025. Will that matter? I think it could. While I think Coen would love to infuse the work-ethic and mindset of Cooper Kupp into his wide receiver room. The hiccup is that I don't see the Jaguars window of opportunity aligning with Cooper Kupps shrinking NFL career. Will that be the deciding factor? Perhaps not. But in light of other landing spots here, I suspect that there are more likely fits for all sides in his list.

(3) Washington Commanders

The Cinderella team of the NFL Playoffs ball has to be the Washington Commanders, led by rookie quarterback Jayden McDaniels. Of course, whenever a rookie quarterback emerges with the Offensive Rookie of the Year honors while competing in the NFC or AFC Championship game, you are going to generate a lot of buzz in NFL circles. And that buzz creates interest among NFL veterans who may have made their money, and now want to add a Super Bowl victory to their NFL careers.

Commanders HC Dan Quinn hired former Arizona Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury to run the offense, a coach who is intimately familiar with Cooper Kupp's quality. Jayden Daniels is such an offensive weapon for the Commanders, that Kupp will likely not be asked to be a tight end/wide receiver in this offense.

The Commanders top wide receiver is Terry McLaurin, a fast outside receiver who is a dangerous receiver in that offense. The runner up receiver in the offense is veteran tight end Zach Ertz. Ertz found his fountain of youth in the Commanders' offense in 2024. That same resurgence is an almost certainty if Kupp joins their band of merry men.

Kupp brings post-season proficiency to a very young quarterback, a vital ingredient that could be just enough to get the team over the hump. Kupp is particularly effective against the Philadelphia Eagles, as he faced them in two games, caught 13 of 18 passes for 121 yards and one touchdown. That is the type of offensive production that could ensure the Commanders get a couple of wins against a solid NFC East Division rival.

Why don't the Commanders land higher? East Coast teams play for an entirely different type of fans, and the lifestyle in and around Washington DC is nothing like the lifestyle found on the West Coast. Those differences make this landing site difficult to reconcile and land a higher projection.

(2) Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos are a team on the rise, having lured former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton out of retirement. Payton knows what he wants on offense, and makes snap decisions to ensure that they happen with few questions asked. Payton was the mastermind that released veteran QB Russell Wilson, despite the huge dead salary cap hit inflicted on his team.

The Broncos were 5-12 in 2022, 8-9 in 2023, and 10-7 in 2024. The Broncos traded with the Saints for the rights to hire Payton in February 2023, so it was an investment that seems to be paying off. Now, how does Cooper Kupp fit in the Broncos offense?

Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi has a long-standing history with Payton, and he brings that successful history with him to the Broncos. Lombardi is a bit of old school mindset in his offensive structure, setting a tone by demanding a quality offensive line.

Lombardi loves to get production from the tight end position, loves to bunch wide receivers in his initial formation, and uses routes to create natural rubs among defensive backs to ensure separation for his quarterback. Rather than expecting wide receivers to block like tight ends, Lombardi's offense views wide receivers as pass catchers. That role very much aligns with the skillset of veteran WR Cooper Kupp right now.

(1) Kansas City Chiefs

Cooper Kupp to the Kansas City Chiefs? It's something that James Palmer can envision, particularly after the Chiefs lost Super Bowl LIX to the Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 40-22. With the exception of Xavier Worthy, the Chiefs receivers were a bit underwhelming in postseason competition. Star tight end Travis Kelce ended three games with 175 receiving yards and one touchdown.

In 2023, he played four games and had more than double that level of production.

Right now, the Chiefs likely face the retirement of TE Travis Kelce, or at least the risk of it. WR Cooper Kupp is not a tight end, but he runs the gritty across-the-middle routes that tight ends find success at running. The Chiefs face the free agency of Hollywood Brown and DeAndre Hopkins as well. If Cooper Kupp does join the Chiefs offense, he plugs in for the absence of Kelce.

Is Kupp a perfect replacement for Kelce in that offense? No. But Kupp brings a solid skillset that can give the Chiefs roster enough of a bridge to the gap until the Chiefs land a new tight end. And the 2025 NFL Draft is loaded with talented tight ends. Kupp with the Chiefs gives them a hybrid WR/TE performer who can buoy the Chiefs until a rookie tight end can take on a larger role.

Kupp makes a lot of sense on the Chiefs roster. He would have an opportunity to play for a very competitive team, catch passes from one of the NFL's top passers, and perhaps pick up another Super Bowl ring.

Summary

While I believe that Cooper Kupp still has some gas left in the tank, it's not going to show up on a football field in a Rams uniform. While the realization that Cooper Kupp will likely play elsewhere, for every window that closes, a door opens. It was only after All-Pro Aaron Donald retired that the Rams defense drafted two pass rushers who finished one and three in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting: OLB Jared Verse and DT Braden Fiske, respectively.

As Kupp moves on, does this mean an offensive rebuild? Or is it merely a game-changer, an indication that the Rams offense will reverse course? Rather than spend most of the team's salary cap on the offensive side of the football for modest production, will the team spend much less on the offense but expect significant production?

I think if this team hopes to remain competitive, they must take huge steps in that direction.

Super Bowl LIX has just ended, and the Rams headline the NFL media already. If you like the thrill of the NFL Free Agency market, NFL trades, and the NFL Draft, you are in luck. The Rams are likely to be quite active in all three phases of roster building this offseason.

Stay tuned, as the LA Rams offseason is jumping out of the gates with record speed. And as always, thanks for reading.

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