Super Bowl LVI MVP Cooper Kupp is officially released
Three years after winning the Super Bowl LVI MVP award, receiver Cooper Kupp is no longer a member of the Rams.
The release, which became official on Wednesday, is no surprise. From the moment Kupp himself announced that the Rams were trying to trade him, it seemed like an impossibility. No one would be taking on his $20 million compensation package, and Kupp had no reason to take less to facilitate a deal.
Instead, he becomes a free agent. He can sign with any team, at any time.
His contract value hinges primarily on the spot that he'll be expected to occupy on a depth chart. The higher he lands, the more the next team will pay.
The Rams, given the contract they recently gave to receiver Davante Adams, see Kupp as a No. 3 option. For other teams, Kupp could be No. 2.
Things could move quickly, if multiple teams regard Kupp as a high-value addition. Still, one day after DeAndre Hopkins (who is only one year older than Kupp) got a one-year, $5 million deal from the Ravens, the market isn't currently booming for aging receivers who have slipped past their prime.
For Kupp, he has a full guarantee of $5 million from the Rams for 2025. The amount is subject to offset; for $5 million or less from a new team, Kupp won't be enhancing his pre-existing bottom line.
Kupp, in fairness, believes he can still get it done. If he can stay healthy, he could be right. But staying healthy is key ingredient in productivity. Since having an historic season in 2021, Kupp has missed 18 of 51 regular-season games — more than a full season out of three.
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