Kupp, Bourne, Mike Williams', Top Landing Spots After Diontae Johnson, Ravens Trade
Another day and another wide receiver trade in the NFL.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Tuesday the Carolina Panthers sent Diontae Johnson and a sixth-round draft pick to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick. While it wasn't a significant return, Johnson is under contract for just the remainder of this season.
The Panthers are also playing out the string on the campaign at 1-7 and at least got something in return before he potentially left ahead of the 2025 season.
This is yet another wide receiver move after Davante Adams, Amari Cooper and DeAndre Hopkins were already traded. With the Nov. 5 trade deadline looming, the question now is whether there will be any other wide receiver moves.
With that in mind, here is a look at some potential landing spots for Cooper Kupp, Kendrick Bourne and Mike Williams.
Cooper Kupp
1 of 3
Best Fit: Los Angeles Rams or Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Frankly, Kupp shouldn't be traded at all.
The Los Angeles Rams are 3-4 and just a half-game behind the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West. And that is all with Kupp already missing four games (ankle) and Puka Nacua missing five games (knee).
They were both back for a Week 8 win over the Minnesota Vikings in which the Rams looked like a completely different team. It was a second straight win for the club, and it now has an opportunity to make a move with a Week 9 showdown against Seattle looming.
However, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stand out if the Rams do decide to move the veteran.
Tampa Bay, like Los Angeles, is outside the NFC playoff picture and looking in at 4-4 with the opportunity to move up the standings in the season's second half. Yet the Buccaneers are also hurting at the wide receiver position with Chris Godwin potentially out for the season and Mike Evans sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Baker Mayfield can only do so much without his top two targets, although he still managed to throw for 330 yards in Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
He did so with tight end Cade Otton and running backs Bucky Irving and Rachaad White as three of his top four receivers in the game.
If Mayfield was working with a star receiver like Kupp, he could do more than just keep the team afloat. He could lead it into the playoffs.
Kendrick Bourne
2 of 3
Best Fit: Pittsburgh Steelers
The New England Patriots are in a position where everything should be geared toward the future and putting the best pieces around quarterback Drake Maye.
That means getting draft picks in return for trades, so Bourne is an obvious candidate. That is especially the case since the 29-year-old has a potential out in his contract in 2025 and may not be on the roster when it is ready to realistically compete again in the AFC East.
Bourne has been limited this season with just four catches for 29 yards in four games, but he had 800 receiving yards in 2021 and could fit into an offense that needs secondary playmakers who can take advantage of single coverage from opposing secondaries.
Enter the Pittsburgh Steelers.
George Pickens is the clear-cut go-to option in the Pittsburgh aerial attack with 548 receiving yards, but nobody else has more than 264. And that is tight end Pat Freiermuth checking in at second, while running back Najee Harris is fourth with 152.
While the Steelers are 6-2 and look the part of a realistic contender in the AFC, they need more offensive firepower if they are going to challenge the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills in the postseason.
It will be too easy for opposing defenses to double Pickens and contain the passing game if they largely only have to worry about him.
Bourne would at least provide another weapon for a team looking to take the next step ahead of the playoffs.
Mike Williams
3 of 3
Best Fit: Dallas Cowboys
The writing seemed to be on the wall for Williams' time with the New York Jets as soon as the AFC East team traded for Adams.
After all, the combination of Adams, Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Breece Hall and Braelon Allen is a lot of playmakers for quarterback Aaron Rodgers to keep happy without even worrying about Williams' role in the offense.
Trade rumors quickly circulated after the Adams deal, and another team could see this as a buy-low opportunity for a wide receiver who isn't that far removed from surpassing 1,000 yards in 2019 and 2021.
Williams also led the league with 20.4 yards per catch in 2019, although a torn ACL that limited him to just three games in 2023 has sapped him of some of that explosiveness this year.
Still, the Dallas Cowboys could certainly use him.
Something has to change for a Dallas team that is just 3-4 and coming off two straight losses. One of those was a blowout 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions, which was the NFC East team's second such loss of the year after dropping a Week 2 matchup with the New Orleans Saints 44-19.
CeeDee Lamb is going to draw much of the defensive attention for the Cowboys, which could open up situations where a secondary receiver can beat one-on-one coverage on deep balls.
Williams has proven he can be that deep threat in the past and may rediscover that form with a much-needed change of scenery.
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