Cooper Kupp contract details with Seahawks released

The Seattle Seahawks structured Cooper Kupp's deal to give them an out after one season.

Connor Benintendi | Mar 26, 2025

Dec 21, 2021; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) celebrates after the game against the Seattle Seahawks at SoFi Stadium. The Rams defeated the Seahawks 20-10. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Seattle Seahawks

Regardless of opinions on the Seattle Seahawks' moves in free agency, the team has constructed high-profile contracts to help the franchise now and into the future. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp's three-year, $45 million deal is a perfect example.

Assuming Sam Darnold's deal is the Over The Cap version (less guaranteed money into the second year), Seattle has given itself a way out of both Darnold and Kupp's contracts after one season. Considering there is risk involved with both signings, that could be beneficial.

The simplified version is that Kupp's contract is essentially a one-year, $17.5 million deal with team options in each of the following two seasons. While Kupp is under contract for three seasons, the team can easily release him after this season and absorb minimal dead money.

Kupp's deal, according to OTC, brings just a $9.35 million cap hit in 2025. It also guarantees the former Triple Crown winner $17.5 million of his $26.5 million total guarantees at signing. That allowed the team to make his 2026 and 2027 base salaries — combined at just over $25.5 million — higher and unguaranteed.

Jan 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) catches a pass in the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The deal also includes annual per-game bonuses of up to $510,000 in all three seasons. Kupp's cap hit nearly doubles after 2025, which will be his age 33 and 34 seasons, while allowing the Seahawks to take on less dead money if they wanted to move on.

If Kupp were designated a post-June 1 release at the end of 2025, Seattle would only take on $8 million in dead cap from 2026-27. Meanwhile, it would save $28 million. But they would be liable to pay an additional $9 million if Kupp is still on the roster five days after the 2025 Super Bowl, per OTC.

With all the turnover Seattle has had on offense this offseason, it makes sense the team doesn't want to make long-term commitments to aging or somewhat unproven players. General manager John Schneider is attempting to preserve the team's future past next season by making the deals team-friendly.

Kupp, who has missed 18 games over the last three seasons, will hopefully be able to stay healthy and productive. But the Seahawks have a contingency plan in place in case he can't.

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