Rams could have the perfect Cooper Kupp replacement for a sweet bargain

Through two weeks, there might not be a team in worse position than the L.A. Rams in terms of injury woes. Whether it is the offensive line or receiver room, the Rams have been hit early and often with blow after blow.

News recently broke that wide receiver Cooper Kupp will likely be heading to injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least the next four games. Head coach Sean McVay noted that the team is already running out of injured reserve spots, with fellow wide receiver Puka Nacua already there, but that IR is a realistic option for Kupp who will probably miss an extended amount of time.

With both Kupp and Nacua out, now, the next men up are veteran Tyler Johnson and rookie Jordan Whittington. Johnson has been heavily involved since Nacua's injury. After Kupp left the game in Week 2, meanwhile, Whittington played every snap of the second half.

Los Angeles also has DeMarcus Robinson, of course, who will be in the mix for some targets as well. However, replacing two elite talents like Kupp and Nacua is a tall task, and the current wide receiver room is extremely thin.

If Les Snead wanted to try and work this team back from their 0-2 start in an aggressive manner, he could check out an early trade landscape.

One team that will come up often in any trade discussions, this year, is the Carolina Panthers. Now, as NFL insider Daniel Jeremiah notes below, the Panthers don't have any real threats on either side of the ball.

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But, what the Panthers do have is a savvy veteran in the wide receiver room: Adam Thielen.

In the second year of a three-year contract with Carolina, Thielen will likley become expendable for a Panthers team headed for another year at the bottom of the league, record-wise. You add in the recent Bryce Young benching and quarterback drama, and this team is a long ways away from competing.

Thielen should be available, and wouldn't cost much.

The Rams should make an offer for Adam Thielen as soon as possible

The 34-year-old Thielen has caught five passes for 69 yards through two games which, all things considered, means he still has plenty left to offer. On such a bad offense, he's been one of the focal points, as he should be..

Thielen has always been one of those crafty route runners who does the right thing at the right time, and rarely drops a pass. He's a red zone threat because of that route running ability and his size, very similar to Kupp.

What would it cost to get Thielen via trade? Probably not much.

If the Rams offered Carolina something along the lines of a sixth-round pick, that would probably get it done. After this season, the Panthers could cut Thielen next offseason and save $3 million in doing so.

Otherwise, they could save some money while also receiving a bit of draft capital in return.

Clearly, it makes sense for both sides and it would immediately improve the Rams' receiving core. Thielen would mesh extremely well with Matthew Stafford and take a little pressure off the other players in that receiver room.