The Green Bay Packers didn't seem interested in a Davante Adams reunion or a DK Metcalf trade despite running back Josh Jacobs and many fans asserting that the offense needs a true veteran No. 1 wide receiver. But with Cooper Kupp coming onto the open free agency market following his release from the Los Angeles Rams, perhaps their tune would change.
While Adams and Metcalf carry substantial price tags on their new deals with the Rams and Steelers, respectively, Kupp could be far more affordable. LA elected to ostensibly swap Kupp for Adams in the receiver room because the soon to be 32-year-old has struggled to stay healthy in recent years. Thus, a one-year prove-it deal, or something like it, feels the most likely outcome for Kupp.
That should be the high-reward, low-risk type of move the Packers would love to make in order to get that presence among their talented young pass-catchers like Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, among others. Instead, though, Green Bay just doesn't seem all that interested in addressing the position at all this offseason, at least not with a big name.
ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported during a SportsCenter appearance that the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and New England Patriots are considered the three favorites for Kupp right now. Notably, the Packers are nowhere to be seen.
Packers bafflingly not among favorites to sign WR Cooper Kupp
Prior to the start of the 2024 season, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was asked about his team's WR1. He bristled at the notion, calling it something akin to a game-by-game proposition and not really seeing the value in naming that type of player. That was met with some criticism at the time with the need for the go-to guy that Jordan Love can work with.
The season appeared to confirm that to some degree as well. While Love and the passing offense were a bit hot-and-cold amid a slew of injuries across the board, there was also not a receiver who firmly entrenched themselves as the viable picture of reliability in the Packers offense. Hence why Jacobs, who was in his first season with Green Bay in 2024, felt compelled to push Brian Gutekunst and the front office toward the pursuite of a top receiver.
For whatever reason, though, the Packers appear rooted in the mentality that LaFleur blatantly stated a little less than a year ago. But really, that feels like the organization simply outsmarting itself. This isn't to say that the offense can't be diverse or feed the hot hand game-to-game — hell, even the Rams didn't force-feed Kupp when they had the full complement of weapons healthy.
What this type of addition and upgrade would mean is providing a baseline. If Watson and Doubs, two players who have struggled with health recently in their own right, aren't available or playing well, there needs to be a safety switch to flick. The great teams have them and Kupp, when healthy, is certainly that. Without him, it raises question marks about where the Packers would turn in such a situation.
There's still time for the script to flip with Green Bay and Kupp, though there are rumblings that the receiver wants to sign quickly. As of now, though, it does appear that the Packers are simply getting in their own way of taking advantage of a tremendous opportunity at hand.