Rams, star receiver Cooper Kupp agree on three-year, $75 million extension
LOS ANGELES – The Rams and record-setting receiver Cooper Kupp on Wednesday agreed to terms on a three-year, $75 million extension, a person with knowledge of the situation said.
Kupp has two years remaining on an extension he signed in 2020, making the total value of the five-year deal worth $110 million, said the person, who requested anonymity because the contract has not been signed.
Kupp, the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2021, led the league with 145 receptions, 1,949 yards receiving and 16 touchdown catches, becoming the first player since 2005 to win the so-called triple crown.
Kupp caught eight passes, two for touchdowns, in the Rams’ victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.
The new deal for Kupp was not a surprise.
Coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead said after the Super Bowl that quarterback Matthew Stafford, defensive lineman Aaron Donald and Kupp were in line for extensions.
In March, Stafford signed a four-year extension that could be worth as much as $160 million. On Monday, Donald signed a deal that reportedly includes a $40 million raise over the next two seasons.
Kupp, who turns 29 on Wednesday, had two years remaining on the $48 million extension he signed before the 2020 season. He was due to carry a salary-cap number of $18.7 million this season, according to overthecap.com.
Though Kupp was in line for an extension, he surely benefited from the recent uptick in contracts for receivers.
The Miami Dolphins gave Tyreek Hill a four-year, $120 million deal that includes more than $72 million in guarantees, according to overthecap.com. Davante Adams signed a five-year, $140 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders that includes $65.7 million in guarantees. Stefon Diggs of the Buffalo Bills received a four-year, $96 million extension that reportedly includes $70 million in guarantees.
Kupp’s performance last season appeared to position him for the richest contract for a receiver in league history. Kupp said Tuesday that he was not seeking a deal that would reset the market for receivers.
“I’m not trying to compare myself,” he said. “I’m not trying to say, ‘OK, well where was Tyreek at? All those guys that got deals, where were all those guys at? And I need to be higher than them in certain places.’ ”
Kupp said that he viewed the process as a collaboration with the Rams.
“I want this to be something we can work on together,” he said, “Something that’s great for the team, something that’s great for me and my family as well. That place exists, and it’s just getting there.”
As an apparent precursor to the deal, the Rams on Wednesday waived inside linebacker Travin Howard, who was due to carry a salary-cap number of $2.5 million, according to overthecap.com.