Cooper Kupp has certainly earned the right to be the highest-paid receiver in the NFL -- just don't expect him to demand it.
Kupp secured the receiving triple crown (NFL leader in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns) in 2021, then went on to play a pivotal role in the Rams' Super Bowl LVI triumph over the Cincinnati Bengals, earning Super Bowl LVI Most Valuable Player honors. He's a premier player at the position and deserves to be paid like it.
Contrary to convention, Kupp simply doesn't care about compensation comparisons. When the time comes to sign a new deal, he's more concerned about ensuring he receives a fair amount, not a cap-breaking total.
"I don't think that's the approach that I take," Kupp said Tuesday about resetting a suddenly inflated receiver market. "There's a place you want to be. There's a place that I think is fair.
"I'm not trying to beat anybody. I'm not trying to compare myself to anyone else."
Kupp is entering the penultimate year of his current contract, which pays him an average annual salary of $15.75 million. That average isn't even in the top 15 at his position across the league.
Still, as Kupp said, he isn't worried about measuring himself against the likes of Tyreek Hill ($30 million per year on average), Davante Adams ($28 million per year) or DeAndre Hopkins ($27.5 million).
This type of approach isn't novel. Tom Brady was lauded for taking less on multiple occasions during his lengthy career in New England, which allowed the Patriots to spend elsewhere and remain a highly competitive franchise for two decades.
With receivers getting new deals that exceeded what everyone considered to be the realm of possibility just months ago, it seemed Kupp would be next in line to watch his pockets balloon. He's not about showing off a thick wallet that would make even George Costanza blush, though.
Kupp is more focused on finding the right number that allows him and the Rams to continue chasing titles.
