Not to be outdone by the NBA sending shockwaves through the sports world the NFL is back to dominate the headlines. Not only is it Super Bowl week, but offseason stories are emerging with Myles Garrett and Cooper Kupp both expected to be traded from their respective teams. Atlanta already has limited cap space and draft picks to work with thanks to the Kirk Cousins deal. However, Atlanta should still have a level of interest in both players.
Imagine an offense with Kupp, Drake London, Darnell Mooney, and Bijan Robinson as your primary weapons. Even if Michael Penix Jr. isn't a star franchise quarterback it would be hard not to be in the top half of the league. Kupp's best seasons are likely behind him, but when the veteran is healthy the top production is still there.
Cooper Kupp would be a great fit for the Falcons but remains an unlikely target due to cap limitations
Kupp's contract has two years remaining and the Falcons would need to clear nearly $20-million in cap space to be able to add the receiver. This would be a feat in itself much less considering how much more cap would need to be opened up to rebuild the defense. Trading for Kupp would be accepting that your defense is going to remain a problem and going all in on being carried by an all-star offensive lineup.
As fun of an idea as this might seem consider how it played out for Matt Ryan. Twice the quarterback was given a loaded offense and unable to finish the job due to poor coaching and an inability to get key defensive stops.
Trading for Cooper Kupp would be a fun move setting Michael Penix Jr. up for an explosive 2025 debut. However, it isn't a winning move clearly limiting the team's ability to rebuild the defense and fix issues that have plagued the team for the last five seasons.
Atlanta does need to consider adding more depth at receiver. Adding someone to compete with Ray-Ray McCloud for the third receiver role makes a lot of sense. However, as fun as it might be to imagine the Falcons simply don't have the needed cap space to rebuild the defense and bring in Cooper Kupp.