Can Rams get a 2nd round pick from the Bucs in exchange for Cooper Kupp?
The Tampa Bay Bucs had almost the worst possible Monday night in Week 7, losing to the Ravens but also losing wide receiver Chris Godwin for the season with a dislocated ankle. Trading for Cooper Kupp and reuniting him with offensive coordinator Liam Coen just as the Bucs lose Godwin for the season and Mike Evans for several weeks could make a lot of sense for both the Rams and Tampa Bay.
But do the Buccaneers have the resources and the willingness to trade for Kupp?
According to JC Allen of the Bucs SI blog Bucs Gameday, Evans will miss at least three more games due to a hamstring injury. Godwin is out for the season. This leaves Tampa Bay with Sterling Shepard, Trey Palmer, and rookie Jalen McMillan as the only receivers on the Bucs 53-man roster as of now.
Per Sources, #Bucs WR Mike Evans will be sidelined with his hamstring injury until after the team’s Week 11 bye. Anything sooner than a Week 12 return against the Giants is considered unlikely.
— JC Allen (@JCAllenNFL) October 22, 2024
Just as the Bucs lose their top two wideouts, Dianna Russini made waves on Tuesday by reporting that the Rams are calling teams to inquire in their interest in trading for Kupp and that L.A. would be willing to eat his salary to facilitate a deal for a 2nd round pick.
Offensive coordinator Liam Coen was Kupp’s OC with the Rams in 2022. As poorly as that season went for the Rams, Kupp, and Coen, their relationship goes back to 2018 when Coen was hired as an assistant receivers coach by Sean McVay.
Kupp never played with Baker Mayfield in 2022, he had already been placed on IR by the time that the Rams added Mayfield for the final five games of the season. But surely the two would have some level of a relationship given that short period of time when both were on the Rams.
The Bucs have $10.5 million in cap space according to OvertheCap.com and a projected $28 million in 2025. That should be enough to afford Kupp, but does Tampa Bay want to sacrifice a draft pick for a rental of a 31-year-old receiver while Evans is out?
The Rams do not have a second round pick in 2025, so that’s another reason why Les Snead could be pushing so hard to get a team to trade for Kupp prior to the November 5th trade deadline.
