The Rams wisely got receiver Cooper Kupp signed to a new contract after only three NFL seasons. Kupp wisely limited the duration of the extension to only three years.
Since he signed a three-year, $47.25 million deal in 2020, Kupp has become one of the best receivers in the league. He had one of the best seasons for any receiver in league history. He won the Super Bowl MVP award.
Also, the salary cap continues to go up (pandemic aberration notwithstanding) and the market for his position has gone haywire. At an average salary of $15.75 million, Kupp’s contract has become downright embarrassing in comparison to other receivers.
He has two years left on his contract, at $14.875 million in 2022 and $14.625 million in 2023.
He needs a new deal, and he needs it now. And while he said Tuesday that he’s “not trying to beat anybody” when it comes to his next deal, the bigger question at this point isn’t taking the lead but keeping up.
Also, it’s entirely possible that Kupp was referring only to the practice of jamming some funny money into the back of a deal in order to make the contract seem to be worth more than it is, like the phony $45 million tacked onto the end of Tyreek Hill’s contract in order to push the average new-money payout to $30 million per year.
What matters for Kupp, who turns 29 on June 15, is getting a solid payout over the next three or four years, before his skills begin to yield to the realities of Father Time.
The Rams will have to find a way to happen. It’s part of the price to pay for having a great team. And Kupp is one of the great members of that team.
Kupp has maybe one more shot to get a major contract. And other receivers currently are getting major contracts. He needs to get his, and he needs to be willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.
Hopefully for the Rams, it won’t come to that. However, they can only have so many players who are among the highest paid in the league at their chosen positions. At some point, success comes with a price that, in a capped environment, can’t fully be paid.
