Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp has emerged as a popular trade target for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
As of October 23, the Steelers are now the betting favorites to land Kupp via trade, sparking excitement among their fan base. The idea of Kupp moving from the Rams’ blue and gold to the Steelers’ black and gold has gained considerable traction. The trade buzz even caught the eye of Jake Heaps, Russell Wilson’s private QB coach, who expressed his admiration for Kupp as a potential fit in Pittsburgh.
“Cooper Kupp is NOT just a slot WR,” Heaps wrote on X, praising the Rams star. “When healthy, Kupp is an elite ‘Z’ WR and chess piece. He can play all over the field, win on the entire route tree, and is a great blocker in the run game.”
Heaps went on to compare Kupp to Wilson’s former top receivers, Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett, calling them “elite ‘Z’ WRs” like Kupp. However, Heaps did note that he wasn’t sure how realistic a Kupp-to-Steelers trade would be but believed Kupp would be a great addition to the Steelers’ already strong receiving corps.
In an interview with The Athletic’s Steelers reporter, Mike DeFabo, Heaps reiterated that his comments were just his opinion, adding that he’s “crossing [his] fingers” for the trade to happen.
Pat McAfee’s show also discussed the possibility of Kupp joining the Steelers on October 23.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers NEED Cooper Kupp,” McAfee stated, asking fellow Steelers fan Tone Digz for his thoughts.
“I want him so bad,” Digz replied, speaking on behalf of many Steelers fans. “Everybody else is getting wide receivers, why can’t we?”
“Cooper Kupp is like a second quarterback on the field,” Digz added. “He shows up at 6 a.m. at the facility every day. He’s not only great for any team, but the Steelers, with their young wide receiver room, could really use him.”
The segment concluded with the statement that “the Pittsburgh Steelers NEED Cooper Kupp.”
NFL insider Dianna Russini reported on October 22 that the Rams had reached out to multiple teams about trading Kupp. The Rams were reportedly open to paying part of Kupp’s 2024 salary and were seeking a second-round pick in return.
By October 23, Russini confirmed that the Rams and the Kansas City Chiefs had discussed a trade for Kupp, but the Chiefs opted for DeAndre Hopkins due to concerns about Kupp’s salary and the cost of draft picks.
Russini clarified that while the Rams were willing to cover “some” of Kupp’s salary, it wouldn’t be a “large amount.” The Steelers, with around $9.688 million in cap space, would still need to make financial adjustments to accommodate Kupp’s $15 million base salary for 2024.
