Even after signing Demarcus Robinson, WR is a long-term need for Rams

How much longer can the Rams count on Cooper Kupp?

While the receiver room for the Los Angeles Rams in 2024 seems primed for success, especially after re-signing Demarcus Robinson on Friday, the team needs to ensure it’s thinking long-term at the position beyond this upcoming season.

Sure, LA struck gold by finding what is already a top-10 receiver in the the late fifth round of last year’s NFL Draft in Puka Nacua. He’ll likely be a center piece and building block of the offense for years to come. However, beyond Nacua the future of Los Angeles’ pass catchers gets much more cloudy.

While it’s smart for the Rams to bring back Robinson on a one-year, $5M contract, he’ll hit the open market next season along with Tutu Atwell and Ben Skowronek. A lot can change between now and then, but it’s unlikely that the Rams would commit to a player on the wrong side of 30 in Robinson long-term. Atwell is a good player but just hasn’t found his footing in Sean McVay’s offensive scheme. Skowronek is a multi-faceted tool and important contributor on special teams, though it’s difficult to keep those sort of players around past their rookie deals.

And that doesn’t even begin to contemplate the future of Cooper Kupp, who is coming off of a down year in 2023 and could realistically be on a downward trajectory at this point in his career. His contract certainly complicates things, as the Rams cannot realistically move on until 2025 at the earliest and that still would not provide much in the way of cap relief. Los Angeles and general manager Les Snead believe Kupp to a be one of the team’s “weight-bearing walls” along with Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald. The Rams need Kupp to perform as a key piece in 2024 and show he has some fuel left in the tank beyond next season.

Re-signing Demarcus Robinson likely takes LA out of the veteran WR sweepstakes via trade and in free agency, but with the above cloudiness it’s almost a certainty the Rams will dip into the position at some point in the draft. The fortunate news for whoever they select is that they won’t be expected to contribute right away as Nacua was last season, and they’ll have an opportunity to develop a year before they are truly needed.

The good news for the Rams is that this year’s crop of receivers in the draft is very intriguing. As opposed to last year’s class, the 2024 group has options with size and verticality to their game after the undersized, mostly slot receivers that were available last spring. There are a handful of players with first round talent that likely will fall to the second round, and then there will likely be a sizeable cohort available in round three.

Possible late first round receivers:

• Brian Thomas, LSU; 6-4, 205
• Troy Franklin, Oregon; 6-3, 187
• Ladd McConkey, Georgia; 6-0, 185

Second round talents, some may fall to third round

• Adonai Mitchell, Texas; 6-4, 196
• Keon Coleman, Florida State; 6-4, 215
• Xavier Worthy, Texas; 6-1, 172
• Roman Wilson, Michigan; 6-0, 192
• Jermaine Burton, Alabama; 6-0, 194
• Ja’Lynn Polk, Washington; 6-2, 204
• Ricky Pearsall, Florida; 6-1, 192
• Jalen McMillan, Washington; 6-1, 192
• Devontez Walker, North Carolina; 6-2, 200
• Johnny Wilson, Florida State; 6-7, 237
• Xavier Legette, South Carolina; 6-3, 227

Others to be considered in third round

• Jamari Thrash, Louisville; 6-1, 185
• Brenden Rice, USC; 6-3, 210
• Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky; 5-11, 210
• Cornelius Johnson, Michigan; 6-3, 208