Cooper Kupp Makes His Decision
The Minnesota Vikings were rumored to be part of the Cooper Kupp sweepstakes. Following his release, the longtime Rams receiver has weighed his options and made a decision, agreeing to terms with his 2025 team.
Cooper Kupp Makes His Decision
Kupp won’t leave the NFC West and instead sign with the Seattle Seahawks. There has been some real buzz about him joining the Seahawks for a few days. The club parted ways with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, leaving a gaping hole on the depth chart behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Ian Rapoport broke the news, “Returning home: Rams WR Cooper Kupp is expected to sign with the Seahawks, per The Insiders. He’s likely to make $15M per year or more. Sam Darnold gets a new weapon, while the Yakima, WA native & Eastern Washington product lands 2 hours from where he played HS football.”
Indeed, he will now catch passes from Sam Darnold. Throughout his career, some backups aside, he has played with Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford.
Darnold’s weapons include “JSN” and Kupp, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Jake Bobo. Another wideout could follow in the draft.
Regardless, the Vikings miss out on Kupp, although they were rumored to be interested. Ultimately, it didn’t make much sense for a team with an entrenched WR1 (Justin Jefferson) and WR2 (Jordan Addison) to enter the Kupp sweepstakes and outbid a team like the Seahawks needing a new WR2. Conversely, it makes sense for Kupp to sign with the team that can offer him the biggest role.
According to Rapoport, the man who will turn 32 in June will sign a significant contract, “It’s a 3-year, $45M deal for the Seahawks and Cooper Kupp. Right at $15m per year.”
At this point, the Vikings employ six receivers.
- Justin Jefferson
- Jordan Addison
- Jalen Nailor
- Lucky Jackson
- Jeshaun Jones
- Thayer Thomas
Jefferson and Addison are among the best receiver duos in the NFL. The third guy on the depth chart is Jalen Nailor, who set career highs in all categories last season. The other three players will likely compete for maybe one roster spot when it’s all said and done. It’s fair to assume the Vikings will add about a handful of wideouts in free agency and the draft.
On Friday, they hosted free agent Rondale Moore, a former Cardinals and Falcons player. There hasn’t been an update on that front.
If the Vikings want an aging player like Kupp next to their top duo, there are some more available players, including the ousted Seahawk Lockett. The most intriguing one for Vikings fans is Stefon Diggs, a former franchise star who was traded to Buffalo in 2020. It would be a fascinating dynamic to see him back in purple, but it’s a new regime in charge, so it’s actually realistic.
Last year, Diggs played for the Texans and suffered a torn ACL, which might diminish his market. He formed a dynamic WR trio with Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Unfortunately, only Collins remained following Diggs’ and Dell’s knee injuries.
Kupp won’t reunite with Kevin O’Connell and Wes Phillips.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt