NFL Rumors: Cooper Kupp trade, Bryce Young buzz, 49ers desperation

The NFL Trade Deadline is now officially just two weeks away and, as we also approach the midway point of the regular season, how things could play out are starting to take more shape. More importantly, some of the juiciest NFL Rumors that we've seen to date are starting to get put out into the ether for us to digest, consider and then assess how realistic they could be.

Whether that's Cooper Kupp and Bryce Young being on the move or how a potential contender like the San Francisco 49ers reacts to injury news, there's plenty of buzz right now for us to pack before we reach that trade deadline.

NFL Rumors: 49ers desperately aggressive for WR trade after Aiyuk injury

To say things went poorly for the 49ers on Sunday in Week 7 would be a vast understatement. Not only did they get mauled in a Super Bowl rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs but the loss also came with a devastating season-ending knee injury to Brandon Aiyuk, worsening the woes for a team that's been ravaged by injuries already with the likes of Christian McCaffrey and more missing time.

Now sitting at 3-4 on the season, the 49ers aren't out of the playoff mix by any stretch but do have plenty of work to be done to get back there. Doing so without Aiyuk is going to increase the level of difficulty in that plight, however, and it appears that Kyle Shanahan and the organization are well aware of that.

Speaking with the media on Monday after the Niners' loss, Shanahan made it sound like the 49ers are desperate with the trade deadline looming and will be leaving no stone unturned to ostensibly find a replacement for Aiyuk, per Pro Football Talk:

“Well, it makes you look into everything. We try to look into everything regardless. Obviously, with more issues that came up yesterday, you still want to look into everything, but it has to do with what options are out there with stuff that we can pull off that doesn’t totally hurt us, that helps us now and doesn’t hurt us for the future.

“There’s lots of decisions that go into it. So, we’ll look into everything, but a lot of times that’s just kind of living in hope. Those answers aren’t always out there. You’ve got to be ready to get people better in your building and deal with what you’ve got in your building. And if you ever find something that makes sense, we will never hesitate on it but it’s not always available like you hope it is.”

That isn't a guarantee, which Shanahan clearly tried to make sure was understood, that the 49ers will be trading for a Diontae Johnson, a DeAndre Hopkins, or any of the other top wide receivers who could be traded before the deadline. However, it does indicate that the team is more than willing to explore those possibilities after the offense took another massive blow on the injury front.

NFL Rumors: Bryce Young trade market gaining steam

In the immediate aftermath of the Carolina Panthers benching former No. 1 overall pick and then-starting quarterback Bryce Young, everyone was immediately ready to ship the Alabama product to another team that would potentially rehabilitate and develop him. Those discussions, however, petered out a bit over the last few weeks as the Panthers externally have maintained they aren't ready to move on yet.

But they might not be entirely forward-facing with the truth when it comes to Young based on at least what one insider is reporting.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported on the Scoop City podcast this week that teams around the league are "licking their chops" at the notion of trading for Young and getting to develop the former top prospect in the NFL Draft. As the insider noted, Young wasn't just the top quarterback on the Panthers' board but many other teams around the league who likely believe they are better suited to get the best out of Young.

There's still no certainty that the Panthers would move Young but, as demand is apparently and rumored to be high for the quarterback, would it not serve Carolina to thoroughly explore what offers are out there and potentially hit a hard reset? This is a team that is currently starting Andy Dalton, needs wholesale changes, and has been short on draft capital in recent years because of the trade up to No. 1 to draft Young.

As the Young rumors gain a bit more steam, it might also get harder for the Panthers to hold fast on their stance of not trading the quarterback before the deadline.

NFL Rumors: Rams opening up to trading WR Cooper Kupp

We've already seen two massive wide receiver trades involving stars weeks before the deadline with Davante Adams going to the New York Jets while Amari Cooper was sent to team up with Josh Allen on the Buffalo Bills. And while many have long assumed that Titans wideout DeAndre Hopkins would be the next name to move, the Los Angeles Rams and Cooper Kupp might have something to say about that.

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Rams are "open" to the possibility of trading Kupp. LA would be looking to acquire a second-round pick in return for the star receiver who has been out of action due to injury for the past few weeks, but would also be willing to eat some of his salary if they were able to get the trade return they're seeking.

The Rams have been on a fascinating timeline for what feels like a couple of years at this point. Matthew Stafford might be in the twilight of his illustrious career with no surefire successor in place behind him while Kupp is now on the wrong side of 30 and has been dealing with injuries for several years.

Having said that, Kupp when healthy has been among the best receivers in the NFL. And there is also no shortage of teams that are needy at the position as teams like the 49ers, Chiefs and Buccaneers are dealing with a multitude of injuries, while a team like the Steelers remains aggressive trying to add a reciever, and while other sleepers are surely looking.

That LA is making these calls does make it seem increasingly likely that Kupp could be moved in the near future.