Cooper Kupp has tormented the 49ers in recent years, but the Rams are apparently looking to trade him, according to him.
The NFL sure knows how to keep fans' attention spans locked even if those fans' respective teams aren't playing, right?
The San Francisco 49ers managed to do this by hunting for two new coordinators immediately after the regular season's conclusion, while the Los Angeles Rams managed to last into the playoffs as division winners but have since been eliminated.
L.A., too, is managing to stay relevant, though.
At some point recently, Los Angeles informed 31-year-old wide receiver Cooper Kupp he was a trade candidate and would be moved this offseason.
The source? Kupp himself, who posted on social media about his disagreement with the idea but ultimate acceptance of it:
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.
— Cooper Kupp (@CooperKupp) February 4, 2025
Still, if there’s… pic.twitter.com/XWmbGVscGy
Now, if you're thinking the Niners could be suitors, it's probably best to think again. Not only are in-division trades awfully rare, San Francisco already boasts an impressive foursome of wideouts: Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall and Brandon Aiyuk, the latter who is still working his way back from ACL and MCL tears but nevertheless is a WR1 candidate when healthy.
Despite being a former Offensive Player of the Year from 2021, Kupp doesn't exactly help the 49ers outside of depth purposes.
However, the Niners have to be more than happy to see him depart the NFC West.
49ers will be thrilled to see Cooper Kupp out of the NFC West
The Rams also likely won't trade Kupp to a conference contender either, meaning an AFC team likely seems the most plausible a destination.
San Francisco doesn't mind that, of course, as Kupp has a notable history against the red and gold ever since joining the NFL back in the 2017 draft out of Eastern Washington. In 10 games against the 49ers, Kupp has 558 receiving yards and three touchdowns, including two games in which he recorded 122 yards apiece.
Related story: 5 teams who are front-runners to land Rams WR Cooper Kupp
Despite playing no more than 12 games per year since that incredible 2021 campaign, the former third-round draftee has still managed to stay productive, posting no less than 700 yards receiving every season since.
Sure, L.A. has effectively replaced Kupp's presence atop its depth chart with the younger, cheaper wide receiver, Puka Nacua, but the former remains a notable weapon.
Now, much to the Niners' delight, he'll look to continue his career somewhere else where he won't threaten San Francisco twice a year.
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