Earlier this month Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp announced to the world, perhaps much to the team's chagrin, that he is line to be traded this offseason. While he's not the player he once was, as injuries have limited in each of the last three seasons, he is still a solid receiver and the list of teams who could use him is probably longer than the list of those who could not.
Given the prominent ties he has to the organization (general manager Brad Holmes and quarterback Jared Goff), the Detroit Lions are easy to name as a potential landing spot for Kupp. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler did in twice within the same day after Kupp took to Twitter to announce he will be traded, rooted in intel he had already gathered.
Fowler even found a bit of a buzz phrase in making the tie between Kupp and the Lions-"instant chemistry", as in "instant chemistry with Goff based on their years together with the Rams.
Of course there are contractual and age matters attached to Kupp, and if the Rams can't find a suitable trade they may just cut him. Such as the Lions may even have interest, being able to make him a free agent offer that suits them seems like the more palatable path to getting him.
Lions' odds to land Cooper Kupp have surged lately
If you did it off the top of your head, you can probably name 5-10 teams who have the noticeable need at wide receiver and/or the means to add Kupp if they want him, and there are others besides the Lions who would fit the bill as a fit based on familiarity.
According to the latest odds from DraftKings Sportsbook (h/t to the New York Post, odds subject to change), the Denver Broncos are the favorite to land Kupp at +450. The Lions sat at +800 as recently as last week, and now they are second behind the Broncos at +550.
The Washington Commanders (+650), New England Patriots (+650), Kansas City Chiefs (+650), Pittsburgh Steelers (+750) and Buffalo Bills (+950) round out the teams with better than 10/1 odds to land the Super Bowl LVI MVP.
When it comes down to it the Lions would seem to be a good bit down the list of teams who would make the strongest push to trade for Kupp, or make him an offer he'd take if he were a free agent. But the way the odds on DraftKings have picked up steam toward Detroit in a span of 4-5 days is noticeable.
feed