The Detroit Lions famously traded Matthew Stafford for Jared Goff of the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, and they might do another big trade.
Pretty much everyone in the NFL world remembers the blockbuster Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams trade that took place back in 2021, which sent longtime Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford to Los Angeles and Rams quarterback Jared Goff to Detroit. At the time, the Rams received Stafford, and the Lions got Goff along with a 2021 third-round pick, 2022 first-round pick and 2023 first-round pick.
Now, the Detroit Lions are predicted to make another big trade move with the Rams. This one would pair a Rams favorite with Goff.
The Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams Meet Again
On Monday, February 3, Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp took to X to announce that the team has informed him they are moving on and will trade him.
“I was informed that the team will be seeking a trade immediately and will be working with me and my family to find the right place to continue competing for championships,” Kupp said. “I don’t agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA.”
On a bright note, Kupp said that he’s “highly motivated, as healthy as ever and looking forward to playing elite football for years to come.”
The Lions, of course, have popped up as a possible trade destination. One of the reasons he could be a good fit in the Motor City is because he’s already familiar with playing with Goff. Goff was the Rams’ quarterback for the first four seasons that Kupp was with the franchise. Plus, Lions general manager Brad Holmes was Los Angeles’ Director of College Scouting when Kupp was a third-round pick back in 2017.
On “SportsCenter” Tuesday, February 4, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that league executives have given him four teams who are expected to be interested in bringing on Kupp: the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Commanders and Lions.
“One league executive brought up Detroit to me because of the connection with Jared Goff,” Fowler noted, according to Mike Payton of A to Z Sports. “They came into the league together and made Pro Bowls together. That’s the type of instant connection together that could be fun.”
Kupp at a Cost
Kupp wouldn’t be cheap, though. He’s due $20 million this year, divided between a $12.5 million base salary and a $7.5 million roster bonus. $5 million of that roster bonus was guaranteed last year, and the rest will be guaranteed on March 15. Kupp also has a $14.85 million base salary and a $5 million roster bonus in 2026, but that’s not guaranteed.
NFL expert and analyst Brad Berreman of SideLion Report notes in a February 4 feature that “it seems likely the Rams will have to absorb a noticeable chunk of that $20 million to facilitate a trade. They could pay the entire $7.5 million roster bonus, pending a potential trade.”
He added, “That would likely create a timing issue for Kupp to land with a new team, which would go against the idea they will immediately work with him to find the destination he’d like.”
Berreman concludes, “Let’s call it a coin-flip it happens right now, with a lot of teams lined up to be somewhere in the mix to get him.”
Anne Erickson Anne Erickson is an award-winning reporter covering the NFL and college football for Heavy.com. Erickson has years of experience covering the NFL and additional sports, and her work has been published via ESPN, Fox Sports and more. She has interviewed some of the biggest names in sports, including Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Erickson also hosts several podcasts and is a Detroit-based radio host. More about Anne Erickson
