4 Rams Immediately on Thin Ice to Begin 2025 Offseason
The Los Angeles Rams' 2024 campaign wasn't for the faint of heart, to say the least.
Things started on the wrong foot when the Rams entered their Week 6 bye with an abysmal 1-4 record. It didn't take long for Sean McVay's team to reverse course, though, as Los Angeles went 9-3 in its final regular-season games to qualify for the playoffs, ultimately ending with a Division Round loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Although some players will be back next season to attempt a deeper playoff run, others won't for several reasons. Here's a look at five Rams whose future with the franchise could be in jeopardy this offseason.
1. Cooper Kupp, WR
Once the NFL's most dominant wideout, injuries have forced Cooper Kupp to look like a shell of his former self in recent years. The veteran wideout's struggles to stay healthy continued in 2024, limiting him to just 67 catches for 710 yards and six touchdowns across 11 games before posting a 6-90-0 stat line in two postseason appearances.
Kupp looked like his old self at times early on in the campaign, but those performances became more infrequent as the schedule progressed. In his final five appearances between the regular season and playoffs, the 31-year-old receiver only managed to catch 10-of-17 targets (58.8%) for 143 receiving yards (28.6 per game) without a TD.
Kupp is still owed approximately $57.1 million across the next two seasons, per Spotrac, but that doesn't mean he'll earn that money in L.A. If the Rams are convinced his decline will continue, they can save $12.5 million by trading the 6-foot-2 receiver before June 1 or $20 million by moving him after that date, highlighting the positives a potential trade could bring.
Now that Puka Nacua has solidified himself as one of the NFL's top receiving threats, moving on from Kupp is no longer as absurd as it once was. It all depends on whether or not the Rams believe the former Offensive Player of the Year can live up to his price tag next season.
2. Davis Allen, TE
When a knee injury forced Tyler Higbee to miss the start of the 2024 campaign, the Rams turned to Cody Parkinson, Davis Allen, and Hunter Long to lead the tight end room. Although none of the trio successfully stuck out from the pack, Allen was easily the worst of the bunch.
As a receiver, Allen was invisible more often than not. The former Clemson Tiger was only targeted 13 times across 15 games (5 starts), hauling in six of those balls (46.2%) for 39 receiving yards without a score. He did tally a 13-yard TD against the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card Round, however, the feat didn't exactly affect the outcome of the game.
Not all TEs are scoring threats, though, and the Rams were hopeful that Allen could at least make an impact as a blocker. Although he was a decent run blocker, he didn't offer quarterback Matthew Stafford much protection, finishing with a 51.1 pass block grade on Pro Football Focus — 14th-worst among tight ends who played at least 175 passing downs.
With Parkinson and Higbee under contract next season, the Rams no longer need Allen. They can save about $1 million with an offseason trade/buyout before replacing him with a tight end who boasts superior blocking and receiving skills.