Cooper Kupp isn’t letting trade rumours affect him as he prepares to return for Thursday’s game against Minnesota.
“It’s that time of year; there will be rumours. “I try to keep that stuff in the background as much as possible,” Kupp told the Associated Press on Tuesday.
Over the weekend, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport revealed that clubs have been calling the Rams to enquire about Kupp. Since then, the rumours have only spread.
“I have a job to do here, and I take a lot of pride in giving everything I can for the guys in this building in being able to step on the pitch knowing I have prepared the best I can,” said the former quarterback. “And for the past 7 1/2 years, I’ve been a LA Ram, and I’ve adopted that mentality every day. Whatever occurs outside of that, I can control what I can. Right now, that means becoming the best LA Ram I can be.”
Kupp has been out since Week 2 with an ankle ailment. With Puka Nacua back in practice and young receivers like Jordan Whittington emerging, the Rams may be able to sell premium on the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year candidate.
Also Read: Rams may deal top receiver Cooper Kupp ahead of NFL deadline
Quarterback Matthew Stafford, another trade target, said the rumours don’t affect veterans like himself or Kupp.
“Obviously, I’m a fan of the league, so you hear those things,” Stafford told the crowd. “But, to be honest, we’re pro sportsmen, professional football players, and we’ve dealt with this before, so we understand it comes with the territory. Don’t put too much into it because it would be a disrespect to what we have going on here. We have a short week and a very excellent opponent to prepare for, so that’s our entire focus. I know he stays there too, so we don’t worry about it.”
Kupp grabbed 14 of 21 targets for 110 yards and a touchdown in his first healthy game, which was against Detroit in Week 1. Kupp has missed 17 games over the last two seasons due to injury.
When he’s on the pitch, though, he’s Stafford’s safety net. Since 2023, Kupp has played in 54.5 percent of Stafford dropbacks, according to Next Gen Stats. Stafford’s passer rating is nearly 20 points higher with Kupp on the field (98.8) than without him (79.4).
The question is whether Thursday’s game will be the last for the dynamic combination, or if the show will continue.
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