The Los Angeles Rams may have unearthed a gem in Puka Nacua last season, but the engine of the passing game should still be Cooper Kupp who will be looking to bounce back after a few down years.
Kupp has struggled with lower-body injuries since becoming the NFL’s first Triple Crown receiver since Steve Smith Sr., and was forced to miss the first four games of the 2023 season due a hamstring issue. While he came back and had a solid year, he has yet to reach the elite level that he was once known for.
However, there’s optimism that Kupp can return to that tier of receiver after spending the offseason training versus rehabbing and recovering. Heading into training camp, Kupp is all systems go and should be in line for a bigger year.
While Kupp still has a lot to prove, he still earned the respect of his peers when he came at No. 69 in the annual NFL Topp 100 list:
COOOOOOOOOOP!@CooperKupp makes his fourth appearance on the #NFLTop100! 👏 pic.twitter.com/Z6k9F9tlhb
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) July 25, 2024
It says a lot that Kupp is still considered one of the league’s 100 best players given the decline in production, but it goes to show what kind of talent he is when healthy. This is the lowest Kupp has been on the list since his first nod in 2020 when he came in at No. 89.
Following his record-breaking season in 2021, Kupp made it as high as No. 4 on the list before tumbling down to No. 47 on the 2023 version of the list. At No. 69, this would be the second-lowest ranking of Kupp’s career, though a strong 2024 campaign could set him up for a much better spot on next year’s list.
While the NFL Top 100 is a fun time for people to debate where players should and shouldn’t be, the Rams and Kupp should be focused on other things like preparing for the regular season. Los Angeles is considered a team to watch out for this year because of their young talent and coaching, and it’ll be interesting to see just how far they can go.
Rams and Matthew Stafford resolve contract before training camp
Cooper Kupp was able to have a historic year the first season he got to link up with Matthew Stafford, who remains one of the best pure passers in the league. Stafford asked for more guaranteed money on his deal this offseason and fortunately he and the Rams were able to come to a resolution before camp.
