On her podcast “The Morning After,” Kelly Stafford, the wife of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, expressed her feelings regarding the team’s intention to trade former Triple Crown-winning wide receiver Cooper Kupp.
Kelly Stafford’s Comments
“I honestly wasn’t planning on discussing this, but hell, why not,” she started.
“My husband, like, wants to win. He’s not trying to put a team in a bad situation. If you’re catching my drift, you’re catching my drift.”
She then said, “I will say, the trading away of Cooper (Kupp)? … I’m confused because we were one play away from going to the NFC Championship. I have to be the dog in this situation — I want the respect for him that he deserves. I love the city of L.A. With that being said … I love an adventure.”
So, it’s safe to say she’s not a fan of the team trading away Kupp, who, in the 2025 season, will be four years removed from his Triple Crown season of 145 catches, 1,947 yards, and 16 touchdowns.
Since then, Kupp hasn’t played more than 12 games in a season or had more than 812 receiving yards.
It’s also worth noting the end of her statement. She mentioned that she loves Los Angeles but also loves “an adventure,” hinting that she’s seemingly OK with the Rams trading away her husband, who led them to a Super Bowl 56 title.
In 2024, Stafford posted a 71.9 grade in our QB+ metric, which ranked 22nd.
Matthew Stafford Trade Scenario
Should Kelly’s words ring true and Matthew wants out, there would be a market for him. This past season, Stafford threw for 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight interceptions and completed 65.8% of his passes.
There would certainly be a market for him as the 2025 NFL Draft class is weaker on quarterbacks than in 2024. He could join a team on a short-term deal (signed through 2026) and help them compete.
The team that first comes to mind is the Las Vegas Raiders.
They’re picking No. 6 overall, behind the quarterback-needy Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants. Las Vegas brought in Pete Carroll as the head coach and have over $92 million cap space.
It’s unclear if Stafford wants out, but if he does or the Rams opt to trade him, the Raiders are a top destination.
Cooper Kupp Trade Scenario
Looking around the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens seem like an excellent landing spot for Kupp, so long as the Rams are willing to eat some of his salary. Kupp carries a cap hit of $29.78 million in 2025 and $27.33 million in 2026.
The Ravens have succeeded in adding veteran wide receivers like Steve Smith Sr. and Anquan Boldin in the past.
While quarterback Lamar Jackson has plenty of success without loading up the wide receiving corps, the Ravens may be saying goodbye to Nelson Agholor and Tylan Wallace to the free agent market.
If the money can be worked out, Kupp would be an excellent option for the Ravens, who are seeking to advance beyond the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC.