Rams' Kupp optimistic he can regain OPOY form
Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp is confident he can return to his best form in 2024 after battling multiple injuries over the last two seasons.
"I don't know if I would be still playing if I didn't think that was still who I was," Kupp said Friday, according to team reporter Stu Jackson. "That is who I believe myself to be. I'm counting on myself to get there for my teammates, that's the player they're counting on to be there on Sundays, and I believe the work that I do, how I prepare, all that stuff's going to be there to be the productive player that I know that I am."
Kupp last played a full season in 2021 when he claimed the rare receiving triple crown by leading the NFL in catches (145), yards (1,947), and touchdown receptions (16). The former Offensive Player of the Year then helped the Rams lift the Lombardi Trophy and was named Super Bowl MVP. He also set several playoff records that year, including the most catches in a single postseason (33) and most receiving yards combined between the regular season and playoffs (2,425).
The 2017 third-round pick hasn't been fully healthy lately, however. An ankle injury limited him to nine games in 2022, and he missed the first four games of the 2023 season due to a hamstring ailment. The 30-year-old has caught 134 passes for 1,549 yards and 11 touchdowns in 21 appearances over the last two years.
"Efficiency is a big thing for me," Kupp said. "The more efficient you can play saves more down the line for you. Don't do more than you have to, so that you can do more when you need to. That's kind of the mantra I live by with that."
"I look forward to being able to go out there this year and play some good football," he added.
The Rams haven't won a playoff game since their Super Bowl LVI victory. Los Angeles missed the postseason in 2022 and lost to the Detroit Lions in the wild-card round last season.
With a healthier Kupp and Puka Nacua entering his second NFL season, Sean McVay's outfit boasts one of football's most reliable duos. Nacua set rookie single-season records with 105 receptions and 1,486 yards in 2023 en route to earning a second-team All-Pro berth. He also caught six touchdowns.