The Rams are reportedly shopping Cooper Kupp ahead of the NFL trade deadline, but would the 49ers have a chance at landing him?
The halfway point of the 2024 season is nearing, which usually indicates which teams will be buyers or sellers at the NFL trade deadline.
While the San Francisco 49ers are at a crossroads here, currently sitting at 3-4 and third place within the NFC West, it appears as if the Los Angeles Rams are waving the proverbial white flag on the season, willing to jettison some of their more expensive assets in favor of what'll likely be a notable rebuild down in Southern California.
According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, LA is shopping star wide receiver Cooper Kupp on the trade market:
The Rams have called multiple teams about trading former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp sources tell @mikesilver, @jourdanrodrigue, and me.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) October 22, 2024
The Rams have indicated a willingness to take on some of the ‘24 salary and are seeking a 2nd round pick.
The 31-year-old Kupp has appeared in only two games this season for head coach Sean McVay's last-place Rams, injuries being the primary culprit. Coupled with the fact Los Angeles is looking to boost fellow receiver Puka Nacua's role in McVay's offense, it makes some sense to get something out of the aging Kupp if he doesn't figure to be part of the Rams' future plans.
So, would the Niners have any sort of interest in the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year?
49ers could use a wide receiver, but don't expect Rams to trade Cooper Kupp to SF
San Francisco's situation at wide receiver has been nothing short of disastrous this season.
Highlighted by the season-ending knee injury suffered by Brandon Aiyuk against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7, the 49ers have also dealt with absences of fellow wideouts, including Deebo Samuel, who is dealing with pneumonia and was recently hospitalized because of it.
Additionally, wide receiver Jauan Jennings has been sidelined with a hip issue, and it took until Week 7 for the Niners to get their top pick from last April's NFL Draft, Ricky Pearsall, into the fray after he suffered a gunshot wound last August in an attempted robbery.
With Samuel and Jennings' statuses uncertain moving forward, San Francisco might be forced to rely upon unproven and less-desirable assets like Pearsall, Jacob Cowing, Chris Conley and other fringe players to beef up an attrition-riddled depth chart.
Kupp, despite his injuries and age, seems like an ideal trade target to plug the gap.
That said, there are plenty of factors working against whatever interest the 49ers may have.
First, inter-divisional trades are awfully rare, and the last thing the Rams would want to do is help their NorCal rivals. Second, the Niners invested heavily in Pearsall and can expect both Samuel and Jennings back in the relatively near future.
Considering Kupp is signed through 2026 and would carry a $12.52 million post-trade cap hit in 2025 (depending upon what LA absorbs) with even more in 2026, it doesn't seem too plausible San Francisco would be interested in delaying Pearsall's development in favor of an aging veteran with a recent injury reputation.
The 49ers may still explore the possibility, though, especially if Los Angeles isn't getting the kind of interest it desires but wants to move on from the All-Pro who has 7,213 receiving yards and 52 touchdowns over his eight-year career.
It just seems unlikely.