Cooper Kupp was the heartbeat of the Los Angeles Rams, passing attack for nearly a decade after being drafted in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He played a pivotal role in the Rams’ Super Bowl victory in 2021, highlighted by his historic triple-crown season. This year, however, Kupp has moved on and is now suiting up for the Seattle Seahawks.
With the Rams preparing for their Week 5 clash against the San Francisco 49ers, let’s take a closer look at what led to Kupp’s departure from Los Angeles and why Seattle signed him.
Why Did The Rams Release Cooper Kupp?
The 2021 season was one hell of a campaign for Kupp and, subsequently, the Rams. During the offseason, the franchise swapped Jared Goff for Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, who immediately clicked with Kupp.
In the QB-WR duo’s seminal season, Kupp won the elusive receiving triple crown and was named the Offensive Player of the Year thanks to his 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns on 145 receptions.
He averaged an impressive 119.5 receiving yards over Los Angeles’ four playoff games (his 478 total ranked second all-time for a single postseason, behind Larry Fitzgerald) and added six touchdowns — including two in Super Bowl 56, where he earned MVP honors while leading the Rams to a championship win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
However, all good things come to an end, and injuries have plagued Kupp since that remarkable season, sidelining him for 17 games over the past three years. His combined totals from 2022–24 surpassed his historic triple-crown season by just 56 receptions, 312 yards, and one touchdown.
Even though Kupp still produced over 700 yards and six touchdowns in 2024, his $39.8 million salary over the next two seasons became difficult to justify given his injury history and declining output. With Puka Nacua emerging as a dependable target, the Rams explored trade options for Kupp, but after no team showed interest, they ultimately made the tough decision to release him.
Why Did Seahawks Sign Kupp?
The Seahawks were looking to retool their receiving corps after trading DK Metcalf to the Steelers and losing Tyler Lockett in free agency. Kupp’s arrival was part of a broader roster reshuffle that also saw Seattle bring in quarterback Sam Darnold and lean on young receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
He signed with the Seahawks shortly after being released by the Rams, inking a three-year, $45 million deal. For Kupp, the move was both a chance to return home and an opportunity to join a team with playoff aspirations after eight seasons and a Super Bowl MVP run with Los Angeles.
However, the start of his tenure in Seattle has been underwhelming. Through six games, Kupp has recorded just 23 receptions for 261 yards and one touchdown, ranking 40th in PFSN’s WR Impact metric.
Kupp’s Fantasy Outlook
Here’s what PFSN’s Kyle Soppe wrote on Kupp’s fantasy outlook for the Week 7 game against the Seattle Seahawks:
Cooper Kupp had his longest catch of the season AND scored on a different play. He still didn’t finish the week as a top 20 performer at the position.
Sam Darnold is playing at a high level, and it’s because he’s comfortable giving Jaxon Smith-Njigba every chance to thrive. This team looks good, but they are doing it without a WR2 that is close to fantasy lineups, and I’m not sure that changes as the season wears on for the 32-year-old.
That’s now three times in six weeks in which Kupp has failed to earn more than three looks, and that’s not going to get it done. Kupp can be rostered, but he doesn’t need to be, and you’d have a real hard time selling me as a part of your flex conversation.
