Sure sounds like the Rams could fleece the Steelers in any Cooper Kupp trade

The Los Angeles Rams will trade Cooper Kupp in the weeks to come, as was announced by the player himself. Kupp has enjoyed his time in Los Angeles, but his price tag is, by most accounts, getting a little hefty for Sean McVay and Co. at a position they feature plenty of depth.

The Rams could have dealt Kupp prior to the NFL trade deadline, but McVay reportedly didn't want to deal a team legend midseason. Los Angeles went on to make a postseason run which included a Wild Card round win over the Minnesota Vikings. As consequential as that run was in the wake of the Los Angeles wildfires, it was also just one win. Now, the entire NFL landscape knows the Rams want to part with Kupp, and likely in time to cash in on the return prior to April's NFL Draft.

Also, Kupp's cap hit the next two years is over $56 million combined. That is a lot of money, which applies even more pressure to the Rams to either trade or release the veteran wide receiver. If the Rams designated Kupp a post-June 1 cut, they'd save a lot of money. However, that also eliminate quite a bit of their remaining leverage.

Steelers are the only team that doesn't have leverage on Rams in Cooper Kupp trade talks

So, the asking price for Kupp shouldn't be all that high. However, the Rams will likely ask for at least a Day 2 pick, if not more. He is only 31 after all, and has some good football left in him. For a team like the Pittsburgh Steelers which lacks a true WR2 opposite of George Pickens – and has been linked to Kupp previously – the Rams might be able to play the high ground in trade talks. All the Rams would feasibly need is another interested organization, thus increasing the Steelers urgency.

Per Brock Vierra of onSI, the Rams could ask the Steelers for a third-round pick and Keannu Benton, who would replace soon-to-be free agent Bobby Brown III.

Whether the Steelers would give in to that demand remains to be seen. Omar Khan has done a sound job building the roster so far, especially through the draft, so he is not prone to dangling Day 2 picks for an aging asset. That being said, Pittsburgh failed to land a true WR2 last offseason and their offense suffered as a result.

The Steelers lost their final give games of the season and are desperate to win a playoff game, something they haven't done since January of 2017. Trading for Kupp could be the difference, even if it means an overpay.