"Cooper Kupp doesn't get open at all" - Colin Cowherd claims Seahawks made a mistake in signing WR to $45,000,000 deal

After releasing veteran Tyler Lockett on Mar. 5, the Seattle Seahawks were looking for a wide receiver who could play as a slot receiver, work the middle of the field, and be a safety net for new quarterback Sam Darnold. Their hunt didn't take long as they signed former Los Angeles Rams superstar Cooper Kupp on a three-year, $45 million deal.

On paper, the deal seems logical. However, Colin Cowherd believes the Seahawks made a massive error signing the 31-year-old. On Tuesday's episode of his "The Colin Cowherd Podcast," the analyst said:

"I thought, to be honest with you, one of the strangest contracts to me was Cooper Kupp. John Schneider, the GM of Seattle, has almost never missed on receivers. Jesus, he's been fantastic with wide receivers. Cooper Kupp doesn't separate." [From 0:00]

He noted that the Rams not only cut Kupp but replaced him with Davante Adams, who is older and cost the team more than retaining the former Super Bowl MVP would have, suggesting that they believe he's past his prime:

"I mean, Sean McVay moves off a receiver. They resigned TuTu Atwell because he gets open. They went and paid for older Devante Adams, because if you go look at the analytics, he gets open. Cooper Kupp doesn't get open at all." [From 0:15]

---

Cooper Kupp stats: Is the WR declining?

Kupp's 2024 campaign was among his weakest since he entered the league. He played 12 games and finished with only 67 receptions for 710 yards and six touchdowns. The wide receiver's separation stats sunk as the season progressed.

Until Week 11, he ranked No. 11 in the league in average separation score. However, from Week 12 until the wildcard round, he managed an average separation score of +.034%, which ranked No. 64.

He had a decent outing in the Rams' divisional-round loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, catching five passes on seven targets for 61 yards. The Rams seemingly felt there was enough evidence to conclude that Kupp was declining and decided to cut ties with him.

However, the Seahawks disagree with that assessment. They believe the veteran wide receiver not only has enough left in the tank for the 2025 season but can be impactful for multiple seasons. It remains to be seen whether LA is proven right or if Seattle has the last laugh.