After weeks of speculation about whether or not the LA Rams would make star receiver Cooper Kupp available for trade, we now have our answer. The latest report from Dianna Russini of The Athletic suggests Los Angeles is 'definitely open' to the idea of trading Kupp before the deadline. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers should be licking their chops.
Pittsburgh's front office was diligent in their pursuit of adding a top-flight wide receiver. However, their deal with the 49ers for Brandon Aiyuk fell through, and the Steelers lost out to the Jets in the Davante Adams sweepstakes.
Just when it looked like there would be no needle-moving wide receivers up for grabs, the Rams are making Kupp available for trade... and the Steelers can't miss out this time.
After making the decision to go with Russell Wilson at quarterback (who turns 36 years old in November), the Steelers are in full-blown win-now mode. We don't know what the quarterback situation is going to look like in 2025, but we do know that this is a team with a competent signal-caller and a great defense.
Cooper Kupp to the Steelers makes perfect sense
The Steelers have one bonafide weapon in George Pickens, but adding Kupp would be the perfect complement. Kupp is everything Pickens is not. He has an outstanding route tree and can do the dirty work underneath. This would free up Pickens to thrive down the field.
The upgrade from a lackluster combination of Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin to Cooper Kupp would be astronomical. Kupp suffered an injury just two games into the 2024 season. But despite just 105 offensive snaps under his belt this season, Kupp earned 18 receptions on 27 targets for 147 yards and a touchdown.
Kupp's lengthy injury history is worth considering, as the talented receiver hasn't played more than 12 games in a season since an All-Pro year in 2021. In that season, however, Kupp led all receivers in receptions (145), yards (1,947), and touchdowns (16).
Now 31 years old and several injuries later, it's unlikely Kupp will return to his All-Pro form, but that doesn't mean he's not worth trading for. When he's healthy, Kupp is still one of the most reliable pass-catching options in football and a quarterback's best friend.
Kupp is under contract through the 2026 season, but his base salary is reasonable over the next few seasons. Russini notes the Rams are seeking a second-round pick in exchange for Kupp. Considering a 32-year-old Davante Adams was traded for a 2025 conditional third-round pick, the asking price for Kupp could be similar.
This would be well worth the gamble to give Pittsburgh's offense a chance to take the next leap forward. If the Steelers were healthy for the playoffs and had Cooper Kupp at their disposal, anything could happen. Omar Khan should capitalize on this window and work out a deal for the Rams' receiver.