It's been two years since Cooper Kupp has played a full season.
While Kupp sat out for the first month of the 2023 campaign due to an August hamstring injury, the Rams managed to find a way to win without him, emerging 2-2 and setting themselves up nicely for a 10-7 finish. Life would be much easier for Sean McVay's squad, though, if Kupp was a key contributor from the beginning.
All signs are pointing toward this becoming reality.
"I feel good. We got a lot of good work in this offseason," Kupp said during a Monday interview on GMFB Overtime. "The best thing about this last year was just being able to feel healthy and have a full offseason of work, not just for myself in terms of working out and building my body back up but also having that time with Matthew (Stafford), being able to get on the field and work through things together.
"Obviously, getting out here has been great. First few days of camp have been awesome, things have been clicking and looking forward to continue to build on that this year."
Kupp had a rough 18 or so months, dealing with multiple injuries that cost him nearly half of the 2022 season and halted his preparation for 2023. Fortunately, rookie receiver Puka Nacua picked up the slack and when Kupp returned, they became one of the most productive (and fearsome) receiving duos in the NFL.
As a fifth-round pick, Nacua caught the ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøby surprise in 2023. That won't happen in 2024, though, and he and Kupp have been preparing accordingly, with Nacua recently expressing appreciation for the guidance of Kupp, whom Nacua considers his big brother.
"It's been really cool -- Puka's been great -- it's really cool for him to say that, and I'm obviously very much appreciate that," Kupp said on Monday. "I just can't get rid of the guy -- he shows up to my house, he jumps in, I make him throw up, he still comes back. He comes over for dinner, I've got veggies all over his plate, he still comes back. He's resilient, this one.
"He's been great, just his attitude. Obviously, you guys see just how he's such a positive dude all the time, takes things in stride and he's one of the best rally guys I've ever seen. Halfway through the workout he'll be on all fours throwing up but he always finishes a workout."
Nacua spoke recently about how training with Kupp has produced plenty of positive physical changes, which he'll need in a season in which he'll now operate with a target on his back. Kupp, meanwhile, is ready to extend the same guidance to the Rams' next rookie wideout, Jordan Whittington, paying forward the same help he receiver from a former Ram, Robert Woods.
"At the end of the day, I want to see guys succeed," Kupp said. "I want to see guys be able to – you know, everyone that comes in this league has a had a dream of playing at this level and playing at a high level while here. I just want to see guys be able to step into that and pursue it.
"At the end of the day, I'm just going to be myself. I had a great mentor myself when I came in in Robert Woods, he took me under his wing, and he was who he was. He was going to pause it with me, he was going to teach, he was going to be an open book for me, and I just want to be the same thing for the guys coming in."
If Whittington can fit into the Rams' offense even half as well as Nacua did, the Rams will be positioned quite nicely. And we just might want to tip a cap to Kupp for bringing it together.
