Sean McVay shuts down Cooper Kupp trade speculation after star WR returns

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay expects star receiver Cooper Kupp to stay right where he is.

McVay criticized media speculation about the possibility of the Rams trading Kupp after the Super Bowl LVI MVP returned from injury in Los Angeles’ 30-20 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night.

“I think a lot of the things that were out there, speculation was exactly what it was,” McVay said. “I’m really glad to have Cooper Kupp back with us, and that’s what I expect to stay that way.”

Kupp had been blanketed by trade rumors this week as he neared his return from a four-game absence with an ankle injury. The 2021 AP Offensive Player of the Year had five catches for 51 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings in the second victory in five days for the Rams (3-4), catapulting them back into contention in the NFC West.

With McVay’s Rams looking like a possible contender again, the prospect of trading their top receiver seems less likely. While McVay acknowledged that other teams want the veteran wideout, the coach said he was disappointed by the content of the speculation around Kupp, who has been with the Rams for McVay’s entire career.

“Here’s what I’ll tell you: Teams reached out,” McVay said. “Some of the things I’ve seen out there, they’re just not true. We’ve addressed that with those individuals. Teams have called about him, and really we let him know what the dialogue was there. And then there’s a lot of stuff out there where there’s not a lot of accountability to the reports, and that’s unfortunate.”

Kupp addressed his future during the short week of preparation, saying he largely ignored the speculation. After making a handful of big plays in a balanced offensive effort against Minnesota, Kupp still wasn’t interested in thinking about changing teams.

“There’s all that stuff out there, but there’s something that was cool about all that stuff going on outside the facility, but on a short week, every minute [I] spent preparing to come out here and play,” Kupp said. “It gave me the opportunity to focus in on being where my feet are, being able to prepare as best as I can, and then come out here and let it rip.”

Kupp caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford in the second quarter against Minnesota. He then made a key 27-yard catch for a first down late in the fourth quarter while the Rams finished off their victory.

Kupp has spent his entire eight-year career with the Rams, but he has played in only 24 of Los Angeles’ 41 games since his career-defining string of performances on the way to a championship in the 2021-22 season. Kupp had 145 receptions for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns during the 2021 regular season.

Kupp has two years left on a three-year contract extension worth about $80 million.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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