The Seahawks wanted to go huge right here, as The Athletic’s Dianna Russini stories they’re giving Kupp a three-year, $45M deal. Whereas some groups have been reported as hesitant at $12M per yr, the market grew. The Seahawks have been in entrance the beginning, per Fox Sports activities’ Peter Schrager. Ensures will inform the complete story, however the Seahawks are bringing again the native product. This will probably be Kupp’s ninth NFL season, and he’ll be a part of a staff that has seen its receiver scenario change dramatically in latest days.
A number of obstacles stood to impede Kupp in the marketplace. He’ll flip 32 this summer time and has missed 16 video games attributable to harm since his dominant 2021 season. However a bunch of groups joined this push. The Packers have been additionally amongst them, Fox Sports activities’ Jordan Schultz notes. A Seahawks staff that offered a homecoming alternative — and one which all of a sudden brings a receiver want attributable to jettisoning Tyler Lockett and D.Okay. Metcalf in the identical week — gained out and can pair Kupp with rising prime receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Whereas making a major measurement downgrade (although, extra offseason time clearly stays for the staff so as to add extra assist) in going from Metcalf to Kupp, the Seahawks do have the participant who authored this decade’s most impactful huge receiver season beneath contract.
Kupp’s 1,947-yard 2021 slate marked the perfect menace to Calvin Johnson‘s single-season report, and he accomplished a triple-crown effort with 145 catches and 16 touchdowns. Kupp then handed Hakeem Nicks for the second-most receiving yards in a single playoff run, totaling 478 and 6 TDs that postseason. Solely Larry Fitzgerald‘s 2008 efficiency has that yardage quantity beat, although Kupp tacked on a Tremendous Bowl MVP award after scoring a game-winning TD.
Forming an instantaneous reference to Matthew Stafford, Kupp elevated from his years with Jared Goff and powered the Rams — together with apparent contributions from Stafford and Aaron Donald — to a Tremendous Bowl title. The Rams then gave that sport’s MVP a three-year, $80M deal — regardless of two years remaining on Kupp’s earlier pact — throughout an offseason during which they paid Stafford and Donald. Kupp, nevertheless, bumped into regular harm bother on his third contract. And the Rams ripped that deal up Wednesday, taking over some useless cash to take action. The Rams will see their former third-round discover once more quickly.
A excessive ankle sprain ended Kupp’s 2022 season, costing him eight video games throughout a disastrous Rams title protection. He additionally started the 2023 season late, beginning it on IR due to hamstring bother. Kupp suffered one other proper excessive ankle sprain in September 2024, taking place quickly after Puka Nacua did. That led the Rams right into a 1-4 gap, and so they appeared right into a Kupp commerce at that time. In the end deciding to face down, the Rams noticed each Nacua and Kupp come again to drive a playoff push. Though, Nacua moved into the lead position whereas Kupp was a succesful sidekick.
