Did the Seattle Seahawks sign a potential bust in free agency? That depends on what you think you’re getting with Cooper Kupp.
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Nevermind a recent SI column highlighting Kupp as one of dive potential free agency busts, which included three (!) Seahawks signings. Yes, the Seahawks were aggressive in their pursuit of both Kupp and former Cowboys pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence and paid them more than other teams would have.
Hoping for 1,400 yards and 10 touchdowns? Look elsewhere. Hoping for a triple crown? Not here.
But that’s not what the Seahawks expect from Kupp, a longtime Los Angeles Rams star wide receiver. What they want — what they need — is a leader on a very young offense, and a veteran wide receiver to provide some support for No. 1 target Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
“I do think there’s good football left in him,” Rams play-by-play voice J.B. Long said of Kupp during an interview Friday with us on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy. “Is it going to look like the triple crown Super Bowl MVP season? Probably not, but it would be unfair to Cooper Kupp or anyone, given his longevity, to expect that.
“I’m really curious to see how (new Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint) Kubiak and company deploy him and JSN. I know across the NFL there have been a lot of conversations about why would you stack an aging slot receiver on top of an emerging premiere one like JSN? And I know he’s had some success out wide but I’m curious to see, without DK Metcalf, if they play more two-receiver sets than three and get more (running) backs and tight ends involved. I’m sure there’s a design; they’re all too cerebral just to sign for this so he can be closer to where he grew up.”
Kupp, a Yakima native, is joining a receiver room that also includes Marquez Valdes-Scantling to help fill the role vacated by Metcalf. But, as Long implied, Seahawks general manager and president of football operations John Scheider has made it clear they intend to return to being a dominant run team. Kubiak said during his introductory press conference that a fullback will be a necessity (there isn’t one currently on the roster). And on Thursday’s episode of Seattle Sports’ John Schneider Show, Schneider lamented the lack of run block reps young offensive linemen had last season.
An OC on the field
Long was asked about a memory from Kupp’s time in LA that stood out to him, and the response highlighted something important Kupp brings to Seattle.
The best thing we heard from new Seahawks WR Cooper Kupp
“I’ll never forget a memory from his first rookie training camp knowing how high his football IQ was, but to see him as a rookie make an alignment adjustment basically to correct a veteran split out next to him was a sight to behold,” Long said. “And I think at that moment I realized, and so did (Rams head coach) Sean McVay, that this guy was a special talent both above the neck and in terms of what he could bring to the field. From his first day to his last season… he was very much an offensive coordinator or quarterback on the field. And I think that’s going to be difficult to replace even if his physical attributes can be changed out for someone like (new Rams receiver) Davante Adams.”
That on-field OC is something Seattle needs. Prior to Kupp’s signing, newly signed 27-year-old quarterback Sam Darnold was the oldest player on offense — an offense that would be overseen by Kubiak in his first year with Seattle, under second-year head coach Mike Macdonald. There’s plenty of brainpower in the coaching ranks, but not nearly as much experience as fellow NFC West teams. And a head coach who values teaching and communication could, understandably, see plenty of value in Kupp’s ability to excel with both.
That’s part of what Seattle’s paying for, and it’s hard to see a world where they can’t get it.
How soon could they see it pay off? Hopefully early.
“I don’t know anything about anything, but I’ve got a sneaky suspicion that Seahawks-Rams at SoFi (Stadium) Week 1 makes a lot of sense for the National Football League,” Long said about the as-yet-unreleased 2025 schedule.
Hear the full Bump and Stacy conversation with Los Angeles Rams broadcaster J.B. Long in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Catch Bump and Stacy from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.
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