Report: Cooper Kupp, Rams Have 'A Lot of Work' Left on Contract Extension

The Los Angeles Rams and wide receiver Cooper Kupp are in negotiations about a long-term extension, but a resolution may not be coming anytime soon.

NFL Network's Steve Wyche reported the two sides have "a lot of work to be done" to finalize a deal before the start of the season, which is their goal.

Kupp is due to be a free agent in the offseason, and he has earned a pay raise on the $2.1 million he'll receive in 2020. He caught 94 passes for 1,161 yards and 10 touchdowns last year, with Football Outsiders ranking him 18th among wideouts in DYAR (defense-adjusted yards above replacement).

The former Eastern Washington star has proven to be an excellent slot option.

On Wednesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Rams agreed to a five-year, $105 million extension with cornerback Jalen Ramsey even though they were barely under the 2020 salary cap.

As much as the cap represents a firm ceiling in terms of a team's spending, front offices can get creative to kick the can down the road and make the numbers work. The issue for the Rams is whether extending Kupp makes the roster even more top-heavy than it already is. General manager Les Snead will have to presumably draw a line at some point.

Then again, Los Angeles is clearly prioritizing the present over the future. 

The team is projected to have only four picks in the 2021 draft, having sent its first- and fourth-rounders to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Ramsey trade and a fifth-rounder to the Cleveland Browns for Austin Corbett. Jared Goff—the No. 1 overall pick in 2016—is the team's most recent first-round selection.

Kupp is a key contributor to the offense, so giving him a new contract and sorting out the rest might be easier for Snead than having to find a replacement with what would likely be limited cap space.