Will the Bucs Make a Move for WR Cooper Kupp?

Could the Tampa Bay Buccaneers make a big splash trade with the Los Angeles Rams?

Sep 15, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) prior to a game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images / Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need help at wide receiver. They had one of the best wide receiving corps in the league heading into this season, but after Monday night's game against the Baltimore Ravens, they're down both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin for extended time.

Evans could come back after the team's Week 11 bye, but Godwin will be out for the year. Many have been wondering if the Bucs will make a move at wide receiver to help supplement the weaknesses if they still really want to compete, and while there are a few wideouts out there that could do the trick, one name has come up quite a bit — Rams star wide receiver Cooper Kupp.

Kupp — who Bucs fans may know from their dreams getting shattered in the 2021 NFC Divisional Round game — was at one point one of the NFL's best receivers. A slot wideout, Kupp has done great work with the Rams and has worked with Liam Coen, who had Chris Godwin even playing what he called the "Cooper Kupp role" in his offense.

And good news — he's available for trade, and the Rams are shopping him hard. Kupp was a First Team All-Pro in 2021 and has netted 7,213 receiving yards and 52 touchdowns during his time with the Rams, and they appear to be asking a steep second-round pick for an asking price.

The Rams have called multiple teams about trading former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp sources tell @mikesilver, @jourdanrodrigue, and me.
The Rams have indicated a willingness to take on some of the ‘24 salary and are seeking a 2nd round pick.

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) October 22, 2024

Plus, with his familiarity in the system, Kupp could show up at the beginning of the week and probably play at the end of it. He'd fit right in with the offense and effectively replace Godwin well enough (probably not to the All-Pro tune of Godwin's production before this). So the question remains — with all that, will the Bucs pursue him and try to bring him to Tampa Bay.

As per usual with Tampa Bay, probably not.

READ MORE: Tackle That Injured Bucs WR Chris Godwin Under Review by NFL

To start, head coach Todd Bowles seems to be of the mind that the team is comfortable with their wide receiving room. He said on Tuesday that while the team will look around, they're unlikely to make a big splash trade and give up draft picks. Kupp would command at least a third-round pick, so that is likely off the table. Jason Licht in particular holds draft picks high in value and prefers to draft his own players as opposed to spending picks on acquiring talent.

Doesn't sound like the Bucs are gonna make a big trade. Todd Bowles says that to get a No. 1, you have to give up a ton of capital and that the team is "comfortable with the guys we have in here"

— River Wells (@riverhwells) October 22, 2024

On top of that, Kupp is no spring chicken, as the saying goes. He's already 31 years old and has dealt with some injuries on-and-off, and he is in fact still dealing with an ankle injury he suffered in Week 2. He hasn't played a full season of football since that 2021 All-Pro campaign, where he dealt with a high ankle sprain in 2022 (played 9 games) and a lingering hamstring injury in 2023 (played 12 games). For that alone, he may not be worth the high price the Rams are asking for him.

It's unknown if the Bucs will make a move at wide receiver before the deadline. If the team doesn't beat the Atlanta Falcons, it may not matter, so the Bucs may be waiting to see how that game goes before they do anything drastic. But if they do, Kupp is very unlikely to be the move — even if he slots right into this Liam Coen offense.

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