NFL Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Garrett Wilson, Cooper Kupp and More Before Deadline
The NFL trade deadline on November 5 is sure to be an incredibly busy time for front offices looking to make that one deal that enhances playoff hopes and championship dreams.
The rumor mill is already heating up, with a Super Bowl MVP and one of the best young receivers in the game among the names making headlines as potential trade bait ahead of the deadline.
Dive deeper into each of those cases and more with this early preview of one of the most newsworthy periods of the league calendar.
Rams Fielding Calls For Cooper Kupp
NFL's Ian Rapoport reported that the Los Angeles Rams have fielded calls for star wide receiver Cooper Kupp.
"Sources say during a frenzy of receiver calls that teams began calling the Los Angeles Rams to inquire about the status of Cooper Kupp, who is recovering from a high ankle sprain he suffered on Sept. 15 and is officially questionable for Sunday's game against Las Vegas," he wrote.
Kupp did not play against the Raiders in the team's 20-15 victory.
The Super Bowl LVI MVP's contract could prove tricky for the Rams to move, though.
Rapoport wrote: "Kupp could serve as the final piece for a playoff-ready team, but his contract could also trigger some adjusting. He's due a roster bonus of $7.5 million ($5 million of it fully guaranteed) in March, which theoretically the acquiring team would pick up. Then there is another $5 million roster bonus in 2026 that is not guaranteed."
He added that the 31-year-old is due $20 million in each of the next three years, with only the 2025 season guaranteed.
The 2021 Triple Crown winner for leading the league in receptions, yards and receiving touchdowns, Kupp was the best player in the game that season but has battled injuries ever since.
He has yet to play a full season since taking over the final drive of the Super Bowl.
When healthy, Kupp still has the potential to be a game-changer. Against the Detroit Lions in the season opener, he caught 14 balls for 110 yards and a touchdown. Getting him on the field and keeping him there has proved problematic for the Rams.
Still, despite the low return on investment since Kupp signed a monster deal in 2022, it feels rather unlikely that he will be dealt midseason.
He is still quarterback Matthew Stafford's favorite target and with the veteran signal-caller still in Los Angeles through at least this season, expect the team to resist the urge to sell in hopes of getting the most it can out of their undeniable on-field chemistry while it still can.
Miles Sanders Available in Carolina
Rapoport also reported that Chuba Hubbard's reemergence as the starter in Carolina has made running back Miles Sanders expendable to the Panthers.
Sanders joined Carolina in 2023 on a four-year, $25.4 million deal but has not lived up to the expectations he set based on his play in Philadelphia.
The 27-year-old has played in all but one of the games with the Panthers but has mustered just 564 rushing yards and 219 receiving yards in two seasons, with only two touchdowns. He has been massively disappointing, but a considerable portion of the blame can be placed on inconsistent offensive play-calling and a system that has not fit what he excels at.
Sanders is a shifty back who can receive passes out of the backfield and be a legitimate playmaker in both facets of the offense. He is a dynamic runner for a team that likes the most physical backs, like Hubbard.
A player such as Sanders could be a significant addition to several playoff-hopeful teams, including the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs.
How much the Panthers want in return, and how much of Sanders' contract any team would be willing to take on would be the question.
With Hubbard firmly grasping that starting role, and rookie Jonathon Brooks potentially nearing a return, Sanders is clearly the odd man out and would benefit from a change of scenery.
Jets Listening to Offers for Garrett Wilson?
The wide receiver buzz kicked off this past week with the revelation that Davante Adams got what he has wanted throughout the first seven weeks of the season: a trade to the New York Jets and a reunion with former quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Adams' arrival does raise questions about Garrett Wilson, though.
ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported that the 24-year-old is garnering trade calls but the team is not interested in dealing the budding star.
Wilson eclipsed 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons in the league, but he has not been a touchdown machine, scoring just 10 across three years.
Despite a slow start to the season as he sought chemistry with Rodgers, he has battled back from early-season frustrations to rediscover his place in the team's offense.
Of course, that could all change with the arrival of Adams and just how much the quarterback relies on him to fuel that unit.
Regardless, Wilson does not appear to be going anywhere, and rightfully so. One of the best young receivers in the league, the goal should be to surround Rodgers with talented players like him, rather than send them away.