Cooper Kupp Cut by Rams After NFL Trade Rumors; Latest Details on Salary Cap Impact

Cooper Kupp's time with the Los Angeles Rams has ended via release instead of trade.

Los Angeles informed the wide receiver that he would be released earlier on Wednesday, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Pelissero added that the Rams made attempts to trade Kupp but ultimately decided to let him go "with no one willing to give up compensation and take on" his costly contract, which includes cap hits of $29.8 million this year and $27.3 million in 2026.

It became clear this offseason that Los Angeles would move on from the veteran wide receiver when he took to social media on Feb. 3 and revealed: "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. I don't agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA."

However, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported in March that "the question, though, is is there enough interest to do a trade where a team will take on his full salary? If not, it certainly seems a possibility for the Rams would be cutting Cooper Kupp and then moving on."

ESPN's Adam Schefter also reported on March 10 that Los Angeles planned on releasing Kupp assuming no trade materialized.

Cutting him was the ultimate move, ending a saga that dated back to the 2024 season when Dianna Russini, Mike Silver and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reported that Los Angeles "called multiple teams" regarding a potential Kupp trade and was looking for a second-round pick in return.

The in-season reports about a possible trade came after an uneven 5-6 start to the season for the Rams, who saw Kupp (ankle) and Puka Nacua (knee) sidelined by early injuries. However, they ended up keeping Kupp and catching fire down the stretch.

Los Angeles won five straight after that start and clinched the NFC West before Week 18. That earned it a home playoff game and made the decision to keep Kupp, who finished the campaign with 67 catches for 710 yards and six touchdowns, look like a wise one.

However, the Rams decided to release him Wednesday, just two days after they signed Davante Adams to play alongside Nacua.

That means other teams around the league will have the chance to sign someone who can be a top playmaker when healthy.

Kupp isn't far removed from one of the best wide receiver seasons in NFL history when he led the league in catches (145), receiving yards (1,947) and touchdown catches (16) as the Offensive Player of the Year in 2021.

As if that wasn't enough, he won Super Bowl LVI MVP with eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns in the Rams' victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

He has struggled with durability since then and appeared in nine games in 2022, 12 games in 2023 and 12 games in 2024. Whatever team signs him will surely hope he can remain on the field and replicate some of those 2021 numbers as it chases a playoff spot.