Former Super Bowl MVPs Aaron
Rodgers and Cooper Kupp hit the open market
[March 13, 2025]
By JOSH DUBOW
The NFL league year kicked off Wednesday with two former Super Bowl
MVPs hitting the open market.
The Los Angeles Rams cut receiver Cooper Kupp just days after
signing Davante Adams to be his replacement and the New York Jets
released quarterback Aaron Rodgers following a failed two-year
stint.
The Rams cut Kupp after being unable to find a trade partner for the
2021 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Kupp announced last month
that the Rams were trying to trade him despite his desire to remain
with the team. But with him being owed $20 million this upcoming
season, no other team was willing to make a trade.
Kupp. won the receiving triple crown and Super Bowl MVP in the 2021
season when he caught 145 passes for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Kupp added 33 catches for 478 yards and six TDs in the postseason,
including the game-winning touchdown in a Super Bowl win over
Cincinnati on the Rams' home field.
But Kupp’s production tailed off in the past three seasons. He
hasn't played more than 12 games in any season during that stretch
because of injuries and hasn’t had 900 yards receiving in any
season.
The Jets told Rodgers last month that they are going in a different
direction at quarterback for 2025 and agreed to a deal with Justin
Fields earlier in the week. They made his release official early
Thursday.
A handful of teams could still be in search of a starting
quarterback, including the New York Giants, Pittsburgh and possibly
Minnesota if the Vikings aren't ready to turn the offense over to
2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy.
The Jets acquired Rodgers in a trade from Green Bay in April 2023 in
hopes of winning a Super Bowl for the first time since after the
1968 season.
The four-time MVP's first season in New York ended just four snaps
into his debut because of a torn left Achilles tendon that sank the
Jets’ Super Bowl hopes that were stirred by the QB’s arrival.
He worked his way back to the field to start every game this past
season, but he and the offense struggled with consistency and
results as New York finished 5-12. Rodgers threw for 28 touchdowns
and 3,897 yards but lacked some mobility in his return from the
injury.
The Jets also released linebacker C.J. Mosley.
Other deals
— Safety Damar Hamlin is returning to Buffalo, and the Bills also
continued restocking their defensive front by agreeing to sign
tackle Larry Ogunjobi. The Bills announced reaching an agreement to
sign Hamlin to a one-year contract. A person with knowledge of the
deal, meantime, confirmed Ogunjobi agreed to a one-year contract
that includes $8 million guaranteed. The person spoke to The
Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the agreement
hadn't been signed.
— Six-time Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay is heading to the other
side of Pennsylvania. The veteran cornerback, who won a Super Bowl
with Philadelphia last month, is signing a one-year deal with the
Pittsburgh Steelers, a person with knowledge of the agreement said
on condition of anonymity because it was not made public.
— Seattle filled two big holes by agreeing to a one-deal worth up to
$5.5 million with speedy receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling and a
three-year, $42 million contract with former Dallas pass rusher
DeMarcus Lawrence. The Seahawks were in dire need of adding
receivers after releasing Tyler Lockett in a cost-cutting move last
week and agreeing to a trade to send D.K. Metcalf to Pittsburgh. The
Seahawks also needed help on the defensive front after releasing
Dre’Mont Jones and Roy Robertson-Harris last week.
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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) walks on the
sideline during an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday,
Nov. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth, File)
— The Minnesota Vikings made another major move on
interior redesign, agreeing to terms with two-time Pro Bowl
defensive lineman Javon Hargrave on a two-year, $30 million contract
with $19 million guaranteed, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus. The
agreement followed Hargrave’s release by the San Francisco 49ers. He
played in only three games for them in 2024 before suffering a torn
triceps muscle that required surgery.
— Cleveland and defensive tackle Maliek Collins
agreed on a two-year, $20 million contract that includes $13 million
fully guaranteed, Rosenhaus told the AP. Collins started 17 games
for the 49ers after spending his first eight seasons with Dallas,
Houston and Las Vegas. Collins, who turns 30 next month, has 30 1/2
sacks, including five last season.
— Tight end Evan Engram and the Denver Broncos agreed on a two-year,
$23 million contract, a person with knowledge of the deal told The
Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team hadn’t
announced the move. Engram’s deal includes $16.5 million guaranteed.
— Guard Kevin Zeitler and Tennessee agreed on a one-year, $9 million
contract, a person with knowledge of the deal said on condition of
anonymity because the team hasn’t announced the move.
— Detroit and run-stuffing defensive tackle Roy Lopez agreed to a
$4.65 million, one-year contract, according to a person familiar
with the deal said on condition of anonymity because the agreement
had not been announced. Lopez gives Detroit’s defense another tackle
with four years of experience, joining veterans Alim McNeill and DJ
Reader, to bolster a line that was hit hard by injuries last season.
— Quarterback Mac Jones will finally join the 49ers four years after
the team nearly drafted him third overall. Jones agreed to a
two-year deal worth $7 million with $5 million guaranteed to join
the Niners, a person familiar with the deal said on condition of
anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced.
— Washington retained veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota to back up
Jayden Daniels. The Commanders agreed to re-sign Mariota on
Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the deal who spoke on
condition of anonymity because the contract had not been signed.
Trading places
The Cowboys made two trades on Wednesday. Dallas acquired linebacker
Kenneth Murray Jr. from Tennessee. The Cowboys are also getting a
seventh-round draft pick this year while sending a sixth-rounder to
the Titans.
The Cowboys also acquired cornerback Kaiir Elam from Buffalo, adding
depth to a position with some questions as the Bills decided to move
on from their 2022 first-round draft pick. The Bills acquired two
draft picks — a 2025 fifth-round selection and a 2026
seventh-rounder — while giving up a 2025 sixth-round choice to the
Cowboys.
___
AP Pro Football Writers Schuyler Dixon, Rob Maaddi and Dennis Waszak
Jr., and AP Sports Writers Will Graves, Larry Lage, John Wawrow and
Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.
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