The Rams made enormous moves in the lead up to their Super Bowl LVI victory, trading for quarterback Matthew Stafford during the 2021 offseason and making midseason acquisitions of superstars Von Miller and Odell Beckham to a roster that was already studded with them.
Although the Rams have continued their highlight-grabbing ways in the aftermath of their championship, such as signing longtime NFC West foe, linebacker Bobby Wagner, much of the focus has been on getting the band back together.
In the span of two days last week, Los Angeles restructured defensive tackle Aaron Donald’s contract to make him the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history and signed wide receiver Cooper Kupp to a three-year extension worth up to $80 million.
Now, Kupp wants his fellow wideout Beckham to return as well.
“We talk a lot. I want him back,” Kupp told The Spun. “I want him to be a part of the Los Angeles Rams. We’ll have him come pursue a Super Bowl with us again. He was just such a great teammate, such a great person, incredible football player. I learned a ton from him. I want him to come back so bad, but that’s something that they’re working through.”
Beckham enjoyed a brief career resurgence with the Rams after joining the club for the second half of 2021, amassing 27 receptions for 305 yards and five scores in eight games played. The touchdown total was Beckham’s best mark since his final season with the New York Giants.
The eight-year veteran continued his ascension in the postseason by turning it up a notch with 21 catches for 288 yards and two TDs.
Beckham might very well have already re-signed with the Rams if he had not suffered a torn ACL in the first half of the team’s Super Bowl victory. Instead, he is without a home as he continues his rehab, and the Rams have dipped their toes elsewhere in the free-agent WR pool by signing Allen Robinson.
“Oh, he’s special. He’s really special,” said Kupp regarding Robinson. “He’s going into his ninth year in the league and I really don’t think he’s been able to showcase the player that he is. He’s all-encompassing in terms of his ability to go down the sideline and make those competitive catches, go across the middle to make those catches. That’s very well known.
“But as a route runner, his nuance, his understanding of defenses, his ability to double people up and play the underneath game, do the things we ask a lot of the receivers to do on our offense. I think a lot of that stuff fits right in with who Allen Robinson is. I’m excited for him to be able to step into this place and be a part of this offense. I think it’s going to be a great year for him.”
Robinson’s signing helps fill the void left in the wake of Los Angeles trading longtime contributor Robert Woods, and Kupp is clearly excited for the former Bears wideout to reap the benefits of playing alongside him in head coach Sean McVay’s offense, but there remains only one name on Kupp’s mind to serve in Odell’s vacated role -- OBJ himself.
“I’ll just keep asking him, keep asking him what it’s looking like,” Kupp said about Beckham. “Hopefully one of these days he gives me the thumbs up that he’s got something and he’s coming back.”