'Fireworks' Trade Sees Lions Land WR Cooper Kupp

Do Lions need to make bold NFL trade before start of 2023 season?

The Detroit Lions, with Jameson Williams' looming six-game suspension, could be relatively thin at wide receiver to open up the 2023 season. 

Subsequently, the team's front office could look to the trade market to upgrade the position group prior to the start of training camp.

If Detroit general manager Brad Holmes wants to make a big splash, Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine believes the Lions should facilitate a trade for L.A. Rams All-Pro wideout Cooper Kupp.

Ballentine labeled it as a hypothetical trade idea that would create "fireworks."

And, it surely would, because it would transform Detroit's receivers room into one of the best in the league. And, it would provide the Lions with a formidable one-two combo at receiver, with Kupp joining forces with Amon-Ra St. Brown.

St. Brown is coming off his first career 1,000-plus-yard receiving season. Meanwhile, Kupp is just two years removed from winning the NFL's receiving triple crown – he led the league in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16) in 2021. He also recorded the second-most receptions (trailing just Michael Thomas' 149 in 2018) and receiving yards (behind only Lions legend Calvin Johnson's 1,964 in 2011) in a single season in NFL history.

In return for Kupp, Ballentine has the financially-strapped Rams receiving a 2024 first-round pick, a 2024 third-round pick (via the Vikings) and a 2025 third-round pick. 

It'd be a large amount of draft capital for Holmes & Co. to part with. But, it'd likely be worth it for Detroit, which is looking to take the next step and become a playoff team in 2023.

As Ballentine writes, "The Detroit Lions could make their case for inclusion (among the NFC's best teams) by acquiring one of the remaining superstars from the Rams team that won Super Bowl LVI.

The Lions were one of the better offenses in the league behind a good offensive line, a resurgent season from Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown carrying the receiving corps. Pairing him with Kupp would make the receiving corps downright nasty." 

Acquiring Kupp would be just the "shot in the arm" the Lions' receiving corps needs, and it would take Ben Johnson's offense to the next level this upcoming season.