Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske may be fresh off his rookie season, but he knows there’s constant change in the NFL.
Both Fiske and the Rams are coming off of tremendous seasons. The second-round draft pick finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, while the Rams finished 10-7 with a playoff win after starting out the season 1-4.
However, in the age of free agency and the salary cap, veteran players rarely stick around on one team forever. That just so happens to be the case with longtime receiver and former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp. The 31-year-old receiver is now a member of the Seattle Seahawks after the Rams decided to release the former Offensive Player of the Year.
The Impact of Cooper Kupp’s Departure
“I had started to build a relationship with Cooper later in the season, so I was a little disappointed in what was going on,” says Fiske in a one-on-one interview with RG. “As I’ve kind of learned, it’s the unfortunate side of the business—you never wanna see your brother get traded or released.
“You also know that this is kind of how the business is handled, and you gotta keep moving on, you gotta keep playing ball and obviously, you wish the best for Cooper and his family,” Fiske continues to say.
The decision to move on from Kupp makes sense considering his age and when factoring in his declining production. It’s understandable that Kupp has never reached the heights of his 2021 season in which he led the NFL in three categories—receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns—but it’s worth noting that his receiving yards have declined in every season since, bottoming out with 710 receiving yards during the 2024 season.
It also doesn’t help matters that Kupp has been repeatedly banged up in the three seasons since, missing 18 games over the past three seasons. When you combine young receiver Puka Nacua’s emergence following his Pro Bowl and All-Pro campaign during the 2023 season, it made Kupp expendable.
Navigating the Business Side of Football
While the decision is logical, it still took Fiske a little by “surprise” because he’s new to the league. The Rams initially intended to trade Kupp, but after finding no suitors, they released the veteran receiver. Kupp quickly latched on with the Rams’ NFC West rivals, the Seahawks, on a three-year, $45 million deal.
“Being a young player, you’re always surprised by moves like that ‘cause you’re so new to the league, and in college, you’re so used to guys being there. There’s no trades in college. Obviously, it was tough.”
A New Era with Davante Adams
Although the Rams are losing one of the greatest players in franchise history, they’re replacing him with someone who has an even better resume in six-time Pro Bowl and three-time All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams. The 32-year-old Adams has twice led the NFL in touchdown catches and he’s coming off of a solid 85-catch, 1,063-yard, eight-touchdown season after splitting the season with the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets—two offensive units not exactly known for their scoring.
Adding the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Adams with the 6-foot-3, 212-pound Nacua should give the Rams one of the most intimidating wide receiver duos in the NFL.
Fiske hasn’t spoken to Adams yet, but he’s well aware of his resume and the type of impact he’ll bring to the Rams, especially with Super Bowl champion quarterback Matthew Stafford returning to the fold.
Reinforcements on the Defensive Line
Los Angeles also added veteran defensive tackle Poona Ford, which should only make life easier for Fiske and 25-year-old defensive tackle Kobie Turner as the Rams look to go from playoff contender to Super Bowl contenders.
The Legacy of Cooper Kupp
While the Rams and Kupp will be moving on from each other in 2025, Fiske knows that his former teammate will do well moving forward.
“Wherever he goes, he’s going to make it happen,” said Fiske just hours before Kupp signed with the Seahawks. “I truly believe that. He’s a professional to the highest level. I think no matter where he plays, he’s going to make that wide receiver room better, he’s going to make that team better, ‘cause he’s a great human. I can’t really say enough good things about him.
“He really is one of the greatest humans I’ve been around, and just the way he carries himself, the way he goes about his work, the way he loves and takes care of his family,” Fiske continues to say of Kupp. “He really is top-notch. It sucks to see him go, but I’m excited to see where his journey takes him.”
DJ Siddiqi
