After putting Cooper Kupp on the trade block this offseason and not teams willing to make an offer to acquire him, the Rams officially release the receiver as the new league year began on Wednesday, officially making him a free agent for the first time in his career.
That immediately moves the Patriots to the top of the list of interested teams and from all accounts, they are one of the five teams reported to be interested in adding him to their roster. Because their offense needs a lot of improvement and they have struck out at receiver so far, adding a player like Kupp would be the boost they've been looking for, especially for Drake Maye.
But the problem is that they are competing with other teams vying to sign Kupp. Some of these teams are in a better position to make a deep playoff run, which the Patriots are far from achieving.
That didn't seem like an issue initially, as reports claimed Kupp was "interested" in potentially joining the Patriots and what that could look like for him, which was undoubtedly a good sign for their chances of getting a deal done, only for the story to change just 24 hours later.
New reports say Cooper Kupp has some preferences in his next team that work against the Patriots
Besides likely demanding a high salary, as he was expected to make over $20 million during the 2025 season with the Rams, the latest reports about Kupp's preferences for his next team are not great for the Patriots chances to get him in the door.
Although he's said to be keeping his options open, the latest updates say he would like to remain on the West Coast. This would keep the door ajar for a team like the Chargers, who have long been connected to Kupp since he was made available earlier in the offseason.
Per league source, the Patriots have reached out to Cooper Kupp. It is believed the wideout would prefer to stay on the West Coast, but he hasn't closed any doors.
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) March 13, 2025
On top of that being a significant factor working against New England, MassLive's Karen Guregian has reported that despite the Patriots' interest in Kupp, his current asking price is "too steep" and they are content with waiting it out to see if his market will drop.
Neither are good signs for his potential debut in Foxboro, and it's also not a great look for the new regime, as improving the receiving corps is an absolute must this offseason. Missing out on a guy like Kupp because of his price tag could be a huge mistake, especially when their other best options at the position can only be acquired via trade.
They're not a team that can afford to sit on their hands and not make a move, so passing on Kupp would have to be a decision made with another plan in mind that they can execute successfully. Otherwise, Mike Vrabel and Co. will be in hot water far before their first season in New England actually begins.