Everyone is wrong about Cooper Kupp

The Cooper Kupp hate is weird, man.

The Seattle Seahawks currently utilize Kupp has their WR2 or WR3 behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba. That’s not his fault – the entire NFL is behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

But all this commentary this season about Kupp “not being the player he once was” is overblown. In fact, an argument exists that it’s not even factual.

So let’s hear the argument, and for the love of God dear commentators you don’t have to end every statement on Kupp with a remark on how much better he was five years ago.

Kupp’s got 519 receiving yards to date. Worst mark of his career, but there are still four games remaining. He’s got 60 targets, fewer by 35-130(!) than each of his past six seasons.

My argument is that volume is the only thing that has fallen off Kupp’s game in his first year in Seattle.

519 yards on 41 receptions, and every time he makes his first catch of the game something like ‘obviously not the player he once was’ comes next. Even some of the Seattle guys do it; Rob Staton just got done saying the same on his 710 Seattle Sports segment.

519 yards on 41 receptions gives Kupp 12.7 Yards per Catch. That’s better than five of his best years with the Los Angeles Rams, and barely short of 13.4 YPC from his Player of the Year season.

Well, what about his hands? Kupp has a 68.3% catch rate, better than three of his past seasons. He has one drop this season, currently tied for his career-best mark.

Ok, then how’s the strength and elusiveness? Of his 519 yards, Kupp has 267 after the catch. That’s 6.5 YAC per reception, which is best of his career outside the 8-game rookie season.

And by the way, it’s the best by a long shot. Kupp’s career average YAC per reception over those years is 5.4. He’s beating it by over a yard gained per catch this season.

I look at that game on Sunday, and Kupp converted one first down, plus two 9-yard receptions to set up second or third and one. He also had a solid touchdown look in the fourth quarter that Sam Darnold missed.

All while only missing one game and still being this guy as a teammate:

So I don’t get it. He might be a step slower but that’s not showing up. The primary difference is they’re throwing him the ball less often than 2019. Rashid Shaheed’s the fastest guy on the field and he’s not getting five down-field targets either! This is a JSN offense. Kupp’s yards per game are down but no other meaningful metric is – not even Average Depth of Target.

So no, Greg Olsen or anybody else, this is not an obviously diminished Cooper Kupp.