Sean McVay makes feelings known on Cooper Kupp amid Rams WR's looming exit: "Tough decisions have to be made"

Earlier this month, LA Rams superstar Cooper Kupp revealed that the team had informed him that it intended to trade him in the offseason, ending his eight-year stint with the franchise. The wide receiver said he "didn't agree with the decision" but reluctantly accepted the franchise's desire to move on from him.

On Tuesday, retired quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick asked Rams coach Sean McVay about the team's decision to put Kupp on the trading block during his appearance on the "Fitz and Whit" podcast. He suggested that he was on board with the decision to move on from the wide receiver.

"When you do look at putting together the puzzle, sometimes decisions that you try to be able to make for the collective don’t necessarily fit with people that are so special," McVay said (27:15).

"And no matter what he does, he’s an all-time Ram from this point on, whether he played another snap or not for the Rams – or wherever he goes on to have success for however many years he wants to continue to do it."

McVay admitted that the team's decision would have felt like a gut punch to Kupp but added that the Rams had to prioritize the team over one of its greatest servants.

"But you try to say it’s business, it’s personal. It all is intermixed,"McVay said. "I don’t think you can separate it. I think you acknowledge that tough decisions have to be made."

McVay expressed his gratitude for Kupp and claimed he's a "better human, better person, and better coach" due to the time he spent with the wide receiver.

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Cooper Kupp trade news: NFL insider provides latest update

After Cooper Kupp announced on X that the Rams had told him they intended to trade him, there have been little to no major developments on his separation from the franchise. The silence has been deafening but NFL insider Tom Pelissero believes it's only a matter of time before there's activity on that front. On Good Morning Football, he said:

"Cooper Kupp does have a trigger in his deal [with the Rams]. He has a $7.5 million roster bonus that would become fully guaranteed. $5 million is already guaranteed. Another $2.5 million becomes guaranteed in mid-March. So at that point, the Rams are going to have to make a decision. If they don't have any trade activity on Cooper Kupp, I'd anticipated they'd release him prior to that bonus [kicking in]."

Pelissero added that the Rams will only retain Kupp past that mid-March deadline and allow the $2.5 million to become guaranteed if they are in conversations with teams willing to give them a draft pick for the wide receiver. Regardless, the former Super Bowl MVP isn't expected to be on LA's roster when OTAs commence in May.