Instead of having to game plan against Cooper Kupp, the Seattle Seahawks now will get to game plan for him.
The former Super Bowl MVP and NFL Offensive Player of the Year is returning to his home state on a reported three-year, $45 million contract in free agency after being released earlier in the week by the NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams.
Seahawks bring former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp back to WA
The question is, what is the eight-year veteran wide receiver bringing to Seattle? While his 2021 season was one of the best by a player at his position in league history, the Yakima native and Eastern Washington Eagles product is now 31 years and has dealt with injuries in every year since his one All-Pro campaign.
While rumors were running earlier Friday that the Seahawks could land Kupp, NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus broke him down during the daily Four Down Territory segment on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy.
Bumpus stressed the importance of keeping perspective, because while Kupp isn’t the superstar he was in 2021, he’s still pretty darn good.
“I’m looking at the film and I see a guy who has slowed down a little bit, but I see a guy who understands how to move defenders – with his angles, with his body language, with his violence at the top of the route,” said Bumpus, who is also an analyst on The CW college football and Seahawks Radio Network broadcasts.
Bumpus pointed out that Kupp’s yardage after the catch (YAC) isn’t what it used to be, but he still had three games of at least 100 receiving yards in 2024 for the Rams.
“As you get older, your game starts to change a little bit. And I think people fall in love with what you used to be and don’t appreciate what you are now,” he said. “Just keep it in perspective. He’s not going to come in here and get 1,200 yards, but I’m looking at him run these routes, make the difficult catches, and he’s still better than most receivers out there. He just has to stay healthy.”
Cooper — and we cannot stress this enough — Kupp.
🎥 More highlights on https://t.co/m9oFPQ0GVI pic.twitter.com/NXC7gSRyWJ
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 18, 2024
Health will certainly be a storyline going into Kupp’s Seahawks debut. He missed five games in each of the past two seasons and eight in 2022 due to injury. But when he’s on the field, Bumpus expects him to be a contributor on offense as the No. 2 option for new quarterback Sam Darnold in the passing game after Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
“To downplay what Cooper Kupp could be to this offense I think would be irresponsible,” Bumpus said. “… He is still better than 80% of the receivers in the league when it comes to the little fundamental things of being a receiver. Good technicians will always be able to get open, and I see Cooper Kupp contributing.”
Hear Bump’s full thoughts in the second segment of the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Catch Bump and Stacy live from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.
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