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Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp Having 'Good' Dialogue with Rams About New Contracts
April 19, 2022
First, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp became Super Bowl champions.
Next, they might be receiving new contracts in the near future.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said there has been "good dialogue" regarding more money for the two star players, per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic. McVay said getting the deals done during the spring is a priority, and Rodrigue estimated that Donald is further along than Kupp in the process as of Tuesday.
Donald was noncommittal about whether he would retire or not after helping lead the Rams to the Super Bowl title, but it has become more apparent he plans on playing.
He said he feels like he's "getting faster," during an April appearance on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast (via Grant Gordon of NFL.com). "I feel like I'm in better shape. I keep telling people, I get better with age, man. I don't slow down. I just feel like I'm getting that much stronger. I look better with age and all that."
That would surely make the Rams feel better about giving the 30-year-old a new deal and is a frightening thought for the rest of the NFL considering the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, eight-time Pro Bowler and seven-time All-Pro is arguably the top player in the league.
The Rams may need to pay him as such since ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano reported in April that Donald "might need to become the league's highest-paid defensive player in order to play" next season.
Kupp is also someone who could be in for quite the raise after he won Offensive Player of the Year in 2021 behind league-best totals in catches (145), receiving yards (1,947) and touchdown catches (16).
Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs, Christian Kirk and Chris Godwin, among others, have all inked new deals at the wide receiver position this offseason, so the market could look different for the Rams star, who has a potential 2023 out on his current deal.
Even with a number of other notable names on the roster, it is difficult to envision the Rams defending their Super Bowl crown without Donald and Kupp on the field.
They are apparently working toward making sure they both are out there on new deals in 2022.