LOS ANGELES — Receiver Cooper Kupp says the Los Angeles Rams are trying to commerce him after eight seasons with the membership, and he doesn’t just like the transfer.
The native of Yakima and Tremendous Bowl 56 MVP made the announcement on social media Tuesday, saying the Rams instructed him they “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.”
The 2021 AP NFL Offensive Participant of the 12 months primarily bade farewell to the town the place he has spent his total profession.
“I don’t agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA,” Kupp wrote. “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.”
Kupp’s future with the Rams was an apparent query mark as a result of he’s signed for the following two seasons as a part of the three-year, $80.1 million contract extension he obtained after having one of many best seasons by a receiver in NFL historical past in 2021-22. He would have taken up practically $30 million in cap house subsequent season, however the Rams might save about two-thirds of that by releasing him.
The Rams took calls on Kupp’s availability in October after they began the season 1-4, however they elected to maintain him. Los Angeles’ entrance workplace is just not sentimental about its stars: Basic supervisor Les Snead traded or launched Jared Goff, Todd Gurley and Robert Woods lately earlier than their very own large contract extensions had even kicked in.
Kupp has been a prolific receiver each time wholesome throughout his eight seasons with the Rams, who drafted him within the third spherical out of Japanese Washington just a few months after hiring Sean McVay as their head coach.
Kupp has been a centerpiece of McVay’s offensive recreation plans all through his profession, catching 634 passes for 7,776 yards and 57 touchdowns.
“I have taken so much pride in playing alongside my teammates for the LA community, so thank you for embracing my family and making this such a special place for us,” Kupp wrote.
Kupp received the triple crown of receiving three seasons in the past by main the league in catches (145), yards receiving (1,947) and TD catches (16). Within the playoffs, he capped one other dominant stretch by profitable the Tremendous Bowl MVP award and scoring the eventual profitable landing late in Los Angeles’ victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
However Kupp’s manufacturing tailed off up to now three seasons, and he had a tough end this season after he missed 4 early video games with an ankle damage. He struggled to get the ball down the stretch for the Rams, making simply 12 catches for 162 yards within the closing 5 video games of the common season through the least productive stretch of his profession.
He then had six catches for 90 yards and no TDs in two playoff video games for the Rams.
Puka Nacua has emerged as an elite NFL receiver up to now two seasons below Kupp’s tutelage and management. Nacua will now be the unquestioned high goal for McVay — and for whoever is the Rams’ quarterback subsequent season.
“So I thought it was just the NBA trade season,” Nacua wrote on social media.
Matthew Stafford stated final month that he would take time to determine whether or not to return for a seventeenth NFL season. The veteran has a powerful friendship with each Kupp and Nacua.
Kupp shall be 32 years previous subsequent season. He had three consecutive seasons with greater than 90 catches main as much as his landmark 2021-22 marketing campaign, however he hasn’t made greater than 75 catches in a season since then.