Sean McVay not definitive yet on futures of Rams stars Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp; will meet in coming week
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Rams’ executive and coaching leadership group will meet in the coming week to discuss the futures of star veterans Matthew Stafford, their quarterback since 2021, and receiver Cooper Kupp, who has played all eight years of his career in L.A., coach Sean McVay said Thursday morning.
McVay said he and the players wanted to let the emotions of the season settle before making any decisions, and would not say definitively when asked whether the two players would remain with the team. He said he will soon meet with team ownership and other executives to discuss their futures, and meet with the players.
Instead, McVay expressed his gratitude for both players – later expanding those comments to include veteran right tackle Rob Havenstein and tight end Tyler Higbee. Kupp – who was a third-round pick out of Eastern Washington – Havenstein and Higbee have all been with McVay since his head coaching tenure began in 2017. Havenstein, a team captain, has no remaining guarantees on his contract in 2025 while the bulk of Higbee’s guaranteed money was paid out in 2024.
Determining their next steps with Stafford will be the top priority, McVay said, after the quarterback’s contract dispute (though not contentious) continued throughout last spring and into the first day of training camp.
“We don’t want to have that go on again, I don’t think that’s good for anybody,” McVay said. “I think sooner than later being able to get that clarity, understanding, clear, open and honest communication. I think there’s a lot of love coming from our part (and) I think there’s a lot of appreciation coming from his part as well. I think a lot sooner than later is an ideal scenario. … Matthew and I have obviously talked. He knows how important he is to me and to our football team. I thought it was a great dialogue.”
Though Kupp’s statistics declined in 2024, he made it clear on Monday he still wants to play football – vocalizing his uncertainty as to where that will be.
“Who knows what is going to happen?” he said. “A lot of stuff is out of my control. We’ll see (what) it’s going to be. There was obviously stuff that was going on early in the season and we’ll see. I don’t have any clarity on what that’s gonna look like. Obviously would love to be in L.A., but I don’t know what that is gonna look like.”
Kupp, 31, has struggled with injuries over the last three seasons since earning the triple crown during the Rams’ Super Bowl run in 2021. He signed a three-year, $80 million contract extension in 2022. His salary-cap numbers in 2025 and 2026 are $29.7 million and $27.3 million, with $5 million in guarantees in 2025 and none in 2026, according to Over the Cap. He also is owed roster bonuses of $12.5 million combined over the next two seasons, per OTC. The $7.5 million roster bonus owed to Kupp in 2025 triggers March 19. The Rams could initially discuss a restructured contract with Kupp, who is a team captain and has been a major influence on McVay.
“Cooper has changed my life for the better,” McVay said. “He has made an impact on me most importantly as a person. … These things are very real. You try to say, ‘Oh, it’s business, it’s (not) personal,’ well, it all blends together because this is still relationships. I think he’s honest about the situation. Those are the things that make it challenging. But one of the things I’ve learned from him as much as anybody is there is no good way to go about hard conversations other than just straight to the point.”