By james art Looking ahead to the future, there is no doubt that the New England Patriots need to add talent at the wide receiver position. There’s even a chance the front office could pursue an upgrade before the Nov. 5 NFL trade deadline.
With rumors surrounding veteran Los Angeles Rams star Cooper Kupp, some believe the Patriots should trade him.
Kupp would be a huge addition to the offense and would help rookie quarterback Drake Maye tremendously. However, he is in the latter stages of his prime and may not welcome being traded to a rebuilding team.
NBC Sports Boston Insider Phil Perry has been open about Kupp being a potential trade target and is all for the idea of trying to bring the veteran to New England.
“The Cooper Cup is old. He was the most different. But to me, depending on what it’s going to take to get him … he’s exactly what they need in that receiving room,” Perry said. “Experience, professionalism, toughness, smarts, knows where to go … I also think it can be really helpful for your rookie quarterback in a year where you don’t have a lot of reliable options. It’s Hunter Henry right now and that’s .. Just give him another one, especially at that position.”
Perry went on to reveal that he doesn’t think Coop would be interested in signing a new contract with the Patriots.
“It’s a move I would consider,” Perry said. “Now, are you going to have to pay him a new deal? Will he even want to be here to sign said new deal? Probably not and probably not. But understanding that the report is that the Rams shopped him, I don’t hate the thought at all.”
Bringing in Kupp, who has two years left on his deal and a potential exit after the 2024 season, would be a risk. New England would have to give up some decent value to get him.
That being said, to help develop Maye, moving and trying to keep him around for at least the next two years would make a lot of sense.
So far this season, Kupp has been hit and played in just three games. He has caught 23 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns. He played in 12 games for the Rams last season, catching 59 passes for 737 yards and five touchdowns.
At 31, Koop would not be as ideal a trade target as a figure like Tee Higgins, but he would give Maye a legitimate No. 1 option and would certainly improve the attack immediately.
All that being said, the Patriots will be an interesting team to watch before the deadline. They certainly look like a team that can make some noise in trade discussions.
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