Super Bowl LIX hasn’t even been played yet, and already the trade chatter in the NFL offseason cycle is roaring as Los Angeles Rams star wide receiver Cooper Kupp finds himself on the block.
Coming off another injury-filled season and set to enter his age-32 season with a sizable contract, the Rams are wisely looking to move on from the standout receiver. That should create a large market for Kupp’s services, especially for a guy who has 634 career receptions for 7,776 yards and 57 touchdowns.
One of those teams that could be involved in trade talks for Kupp is the Pittsburgh Steelers. They entered last season with a significant need at receiver opposite George Pickens, never addressed it properly after striking out on a Brandon Aiyuk trade and paid the price late in the season as part of the five-game losing streak.
The Steelers likely won’t be alone should they pursue Kupp since the Rams have made it clear they’re willing to eat some money owed to Kupp to facilitate a trade. So, what could a package look like for Kupp? The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo finds it to be a pretty simple one.
In a piece for The Athletic Thursday highlighting nine potential trade packages for Kupp, DeFabo proposed a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Rams for Kupp.
“The Steelers plan to address wide receiver significantly this offseason and should be exploring all avenues to make it happen, including a trade like this one. While Kupp’s hefty salary-cap hit, injury history and age should help drive down the price, the veteran receiver does many things that would fit well in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme,” DeFabo writes. “Kupp’s willingness to work over the middle of the field meshes with [Arthur] Smith’s preferences in the passing game, and his effort as a blocker fits in Smith’s run-heavy offense.
“By bolstering the receiver room early in the offseason, the Steelers would gain some flexibility. They could then pursue the possibility of trading George Pickens, who is set to enter the final year of his rookie contract and could ‘hold in’ to try to force the Steelers to hand over guaranteed money early. In that way, trading for Kupp could be part of a larger makeover.”
On paper, Kupp makes a great deal of sense. He’s a great route runner and separator, works the middle of the field well, can play inside and outside, is tough as nails and reliable when on the field. He will block his tail off, too.
But the reason to pause when it comes to Kupp is his age and his injury history. Over the last three seasons, Kupp has played nine, 12 and 12 games. He just hasn’t been able to stay healthy and the current price tag doesn’t match the production he’s put up in recent years.
That probably won’t stop the Steelers from being interested, especially if the Rams eat some money. Remember, the Steelers checked in on Kupp last October, according to NFL Insider Jay Glazer, and they still have a significant need at the receiver position.
Giving up a fourth-round pick to land a player like Kupp doesn’t seem like that a steep price to pay, depending on how much the Rams ultimately eat as Kupp has a $12.5 million base salary and $7.5 million roster bonus due March 15. It wouldn’t be a one-year thing either with Kupp, who is signed through 2026.
From a schematic standpoint he’s a fit, even if age and durability are concerns. The Steelers need help at receiver, and Kupp is the biggest name out there right now on the trade market. We’ll see if the Steelers aggressively pursue it like they did last summer with names like Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.
