Rams' Cooper Kupp 'aware' of trade rumors ahead of expected return

Rams’ Cooper Kupp ‘aware’ of trade rumors ahead of expected return

  • Sarah Barshop, ESPN Workers AuthorOct 22, 2024, 09:33 PM ET

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      Sarah Barshop covers the Los Angeles Rams for ESPN. She joined ESPN in 2016 to cowl the Inexperienced Bay Packers for ESPN Milwaukee. She then moved to Houston to cowl the Texans. She got here to ESPN after working as a author and editor for Sports activities Illustrated. You possibly can observe her on Twitter @sarahbarshop.

LOS ANGELES — Rams large receiver Cooper Kupp says he’s conscious his title has been talked about in commerce rumors earlier than the NFL’s Nov. 5 commerce deadline, however is concentrated on “being the perfect L.A. Ram” that he will be.

When requested whether or not the Rams have spoken to him or his representatives about the potential for buying and selling him, Kupp mentioned, “Nothing actually. No. It’s that point of 12 months. There’s going to be rumors and issues that go round. I let that stuff, as a lot as I can, be within the background.”

“I am conscious of it, however on the finish of the day, I imply, I will be the place my toes are,” Kupp mentioned. “That is all I do know. I’ve a job to do right here. And I take a number of pleasure in giving all the things I can for the blokes on this constructing and having the ability to step on the sphere realizing that I ready the perfect that I can. And for seven and a half years I have been an L.A. Ram and I’ve taken that method each single day.

“And no matter occurs exterior of that, I’ve obtained to manage what I can management. And proper now which means being the perfect L.A. Ram that I will be.”

Kupp has not performed since Week 2, when he sprained his ankle in a loss to the Arizona Cardinals. In two video games earlier than his damage, he had 18 catches for 147 yards and a landing.

Kupp was estimated to be a full participant in observe Tuesday, which was a walkthrough as a result of it’s a brief week. He was anticipated to play Thursday night time at house in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings.

Kupp, who was not placed on injured reserve, returned to observe final week and was listed as questionable to play in Week 7 in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders. The veteran receiver mentioned he ready as if he had been going to play Sunday — together with his pregame exercise at SoFi Stadium — earlier than being informed he was going to be inactive.

“There’s at all times a perception, at all times a perception that there is going to be an opportunity,” Kupp mentioned Tuesday. “In order that was type of my mindset with that.”

Kupp mentioned he wasn’t positive what his workload can be in opposition to the Vikings in his return, however that it was in the end as much as the coaches and the coaching workers to determine.

“I do not like coming off the sphere,” Kupp mentioned. “I might love to have the ability to play as a lot as I probably may, and that is going to be my mindset. … And we have got some guys which have performed some actually good soccer the final couple of weeks too, and determining what the perfect grouping is, what the perfect group of fellows, the way you need to get these guys on, off the sphere, no matter it takes to get the L.A. Rams a ‘W’ is in the end what we need to do.”

Kupp, who sat out 4 video games on injured reserve final season due to a hamstring damage, mentioned he felt “assured” in his return.

“With the ability to have a full offseason this 12 months and having the ability to construct that up and put the work in to set your self as much as go do one thing this 12 months,” he mentioned, “I really feel actual assured about having the ability to come again now realizing that I’ve that base and be capable to play actually good soccer.”