2024 NFL trade deadline: Teams inquired about Rams WR Cooper Kupp; Steelers, Chargers interested in Jets WR Mike Williams
This week’s flurry of receiver moves set the trade market ablaze, leading to nearly unprecedented phone calls and activity on a Tuesday weeks before the Nov. 5 trade deadline.
There has been plenty of fallout following Davante Adams’ trade from the Raiders to the Jets and Amari Cooper’s deal from the Browns to the Bills.
Sources say during a frenzy of receiver calls that teams began calling the Los Angeles Rams to inquire about the status of Cooper Kupp, who is recovering from a high ankle sprain he suffered on Sept. 15 and is officially questionable for Sunday’s game against Las Vegas.
The 1-4 Rams have not turned the page to 2025 and even considering a trade for Kupp would be complicated and multi-faceted. But the interest from teams is there, thanks in part to some of the online speculation that has happened since the season began.
Plenty of teams doing research on receivers have him on their list.
If the Rams lose their next two games — Sunday at the Raiders and Thursday against the 5-0 Vikings — those calls could accelerate.
A trade of Kupp, 31, would be complicated to say the least. The MVP of Super Bowl LVI was a member of Sean McVay’s first draft class and the two are close. He is a fan favorite and a favorite of quarterback Matthew Stafford. While rookie Jordan Whittington has filled in capably (18 receptions, 201 yards), he’s not Kupp.
There also are questions about would the Rams actually do it?
Kupp could serve as the final piece for a playoff-ready team, but his contract could also trigger some adjusting. He’s due a roster bonus of $7.5 million ($5 million of it fully guaranteed) in March, which theoretically the acquiring team would pick up. Then there is another $5 million roster bonus in 2026 that is not guaranteed.
He’s due roughly $20 million cash in each of the next three seasons, though only one more year is guaranteed.
As the Rams have shown, if there is a deal palatable to them, they can figure out his contract to facilitate a trade.
Meanwhile, Adams’ trade to the Jets also left Mike Williams, the big-play wideout New York signed this offseason, as a potential trade chip. Several teams have been calling about him, including the Steelers and his old team the Chargers, sources say.
Pittsburgh has been in the market for a big-time receiver since it attempted to trade for Brandon Aiyuk before he re-signed with the 49ers. The team will get a close look at Williams when the Jets face the Steelers on Sunday.
Williams did not participate in practice on Wednesday and Thursday for personal reasons but returned to practice fully on Friday. It appears his days with the Jets could be numbered. A Williams trade also would be relatively simple, with the Jets paying most of his salary upfront.
