Cooper Kupp trade rumors: ESPN insider suggest Detroit Lions are in play

One NFL insider believes the Detroit Lions could get involved in a Cooper Kupp trade.

Many Detroit Lions fans understandably have their focus on Myles Garrett and his trade request, but there’s another potential trade on the horizon than could involve Detroit. Earlier this week, Los Angeles Rams veteran receiver Cooper Kupp posted on social media that the Rams have informed him they intend to trade him this offseason.

“I was informed that the team will be seeking a trade immediately and will be working with me and my family to find the right place to continue competing for championships,” Kupp tweeted on Monday. “I don’t agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA. Still, if there’s one thing that I have learned over the years: there are so many things that are out of your control, but it is how you respond to these things that you will look back on and remember.”

The Lions don’t have a huge, pressing need at wide receiver, although their third starter—Tim Patrick—is set to become a free agent. Nevertheless, ESPN’s insider Jeremy Fowler suggested on Tuesday that the Lions could get involved in Kupp trade talks during an appearance on SportsCenter.

“As far as early teams that people are bantering about, Pittsburgh Steelers looked into Cooper Kupp at the trade deadline last season. They still have a need there. Washington could look for a complement to Terry McLaurin. The Patriots would be foolish not to at least check in on this given their receiver situation. And here are a few surprises for you: Detroit Lions. Jared Goff came in the league with Cooper Kupp. That’s instant chemistry. And then doesn’t this feel a Kansas City Chiefs move a little bit?”

Now let’s be clear: this reads as mere speculation and dot connecting from Fowler. The entire start to his “report” is “early teams that people are bantering about.” There is no clarification about who these people are and who they’re bantering with. He is not saying anything suggesting the Lions have already inquired about Kupp. And it certainly sounds like the only reason the Lions are mentioned is because of Goff’s four shared seasons with Kupp in Los Angeles. That’s far from enough evidence to suggest the Lions will get involved.

There’s also the matter of compensation. Right now, Kupp carries a pretty significant contract with him. He’s got a $12.5 million salary for 2025 and a $7.5 million roster bonus due on the fifth day of the new league year. That’s a $20 million cap hit for the team acquiring him, although some experts suggest the Rams may agree to eat some of that. Similarly, Kupp has a $14.85 million salary in 2026 with a $5 million roster bonus—although none of that money is guaranteed.

With a contract that large, the fact that Kupp will be 32 years old to start the 2025 season, and injuries plaguing his last three seasons, it’s unlikely the Rams will catch anything other than a pick on Day 3 for the veteran receiver. That may make the deal most intriguing for a team like Detroit, but that contract still seems a bit too prohibitive to me.

Detroit would likely be able to re-sign Tim Patrick for far less and continue to have the explosive offense they had in 2024. That money would be better spent on the other side of the ball, where the Lions have some tough decisions, like what to do with pending free agents Carlton Davis, Levi Onwuzurike, and Derrick Barnes.