According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Denver Broncos are one of the specific teams that "bear watching" for veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp in NFL Free Agency. If that's the case, and the Broncos somehow find a way to pull it off, the 2025 NFL Free Agency class will rival the 2014 class John Elway once brought in to push his roster over the top.
Kupp is 31 years old going on 32 this season, but still has plenty to offer in terms of his all-around ability at the receiver position as well as his big-game experience.
Schefter was speaking live on ESPN when he mentioned the Broncos along with the Seahawks and Patriots as being teams to watch. Those teams undoubtedly have money to spend, but why would Denver be Kupp's choice over others?
Why would Cooper Kupp choose to go to the Denver Broncos?
If Kupp wants to go play for the Seattle Seahawks, the biggest reason would likely be his connection to the state of Washington where he's from and where he played his college football. He could go back to his home state and finish out his NFL career with a chance to play against the Rams twice a year if that's something he's interested in doing.
If he wants to play for the Patriots, the reasoning would purely be about money. The Patriots are the third-best team in the AFC East in a best-case scenario behind the Bills and Dolphins but they have a ton of cap space and want weapons for Drake Maye to throw to. The rumor was that they were interested in possibly going hard after Chris Godwin before he signed with the Buccaneers.
The Broncos have a similar motivation to the Patriots in that they want a veteran receiver for their young quarterback, and they also have that Walmart cash on hand. Why would they add a veteran receiver to the mix? Kupp offers a much different skill set than anyone else on the roster right now. They have a number of big-bodied receivers, they have speed, and they lack players who excel over the middle of the field.
Having free agent acquisition Evan Engram in the fold is going to help with that tremendously, but at this stage of Kupp's career, he could be a better version of what Wes Welker once brought to the Broncos with his ability to work from the slot. Unlike Welker, Kupp is a tremendous blocker and in the quick passing game, he could be a huge asset for other Denver receivers without even getting the ball.
What everyone undoubtedly loves about Kupp is his veteran savvy and experience playing in big games. He's a Super Bowl champion and that big game experience is invaluable to a team like the Broncos.
Will a deal end up getting done? Nobody knows for certain at this point, but to hear that the Broncos could be a team to watch at this point is reason enough to believe that if Sean Payton really wants him, he can close the deal.