The Pittsburgh Steelers have been looking for a quality starting receiver ever since they shipped Diontae Johnson out of town. Even though that trade was a success, Omar Khan and his staff have yet to find a reliable target outside of George Pickens to add to the current roster. They were in the mix for both Brandon Aiyuk and Davante Adams, but neither of them worked out, and that's probably for the best. However, they now have a big-time option that they can't miss on.
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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp walks off the field after a professional football game.
Luckily for the Steelers, no one is near them in terms of how close they are to landing Cooper Kupp, as Chris Adamski reports.
today’s gander into the ol’ inbox
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At -125 odds, the Steelers are more likely to end up with Kupp than to not. For context, if you were to place this wager, you would have to bet $125 just to make a profit of $100. Vegas was somehow right about the Steelers landing both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, so they may be on to something here. Either way, Steeler Nation just hopes they get a valuable receiver to pair with Pickens.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan picks up the phone in the team's war room during the 2023 NFL Draft weekend.
The next best odds are the Los Angeles Chargers, who have +400 odds to land the star receiver. It helps them that they play in the same stadium as the Los Angeles Rams, so they get all kinds of chances to scout each other out and maybe negotiate a little bit. They are also in dire need of a receiver, and if anyone is desperate enough to get a star talent to compete with the Kansas City Chiefs, it's the Chargers.
Speaking of the Chiefs, their recent acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins makes them much less of a threat to take away the Steelers' top option at receiver, so they can breathe a sigh of relief there. At 25/1 odds, there is almost no chance of them ending the Steelers' hopes. However, with the number of receivers that are already being dealt, Pittsburgh needs to act fast before someone sneaks up and takes their guy.
Steelers Can Work Around Kupp's One Issue
The main thing that would scare teams off of trading for Kupp is his current injury. He sprained his ankle in Week 2 and has not played since. He is currently listed as questionable for the Rams' Thursday Night Football game against the Minnesota Vikings. Even if he doesn't play, the Steelers can turn his injury into an overall non-factor.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan (left) and Head Coach Mike Tomlin (right) sit in the franchise's draft room as they anxiously watch the board in 2023.
With the Steelers' bye week coming up in Week 9, they can trade for Kupp and let him miss their Monday Night Football game against the New York Giants. That will give him two weeks to heal up and learn the playbook before the team plays against the Washington Commanders in Week 10. From there, it's full steam ahead with Wilson's newest weapon.
With the Rams already eating most of Kupp's salary and their willingness to retain more, Khan won't even have to worry about manipulating the cap to make it work out. With the dead cap hit in 2025, the Steelers will probably have to commit to him through that season. They may be better off if they don't treat him like a rental for the rest of the year.
Even with concerns about his age and injury history, Kupp would be a massive upgrade to the Steelers' receiver room. Any sort of production is needed, as Pickens can't be the only option that either quarterback trusts if they want to actually win a playoff game. They have loads of talent all over the team, but the receiver position desperately needs to be acknowledged.
What do you think about the Steelers being favorites to trade for Kupp by a wide margin? Let us know in the comments.
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