Rams' Kupp on Beckham Jr.: 'I want him back'

Former Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., left, and current Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Sam Greene/Cincinnati Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Rams' Cooper Kupp on Odell Beckham Jr.: 'I want him back'

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 6/10/22

Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead made it known throughout March that he was open to wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. returning to the organization at some point this year, even though it remains unknown when Beckham would be cleared to face live defenses following the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee he suffered in the Rams' Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals this past February.

Snead's original comments on the matter came before the Rams made it rain and splashed cash to, among other things, sign free-agent wide receiver Allen Robinson and give Super Bowl LVI Most Valuable Player Cooper Kupp a massive pay raise.

However, Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff recently remarked his front office intends to stay "aggressive in trying to build the best team that we can build" as the organization attempts to become "one of the best global sports franchises in the world." As ESPN's Field Yates reported, the Rams created some salary-cap space for 2022 with their latest moves:

Updated cap numbers for 2022:

Aaron Donald: $24M
Cooper Kupp: $17.8M

On top of the Rams rewarding two of the best players in the NFL, they created $3.625M in 2022 cap space in the process.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) June 10, 2022

The previously mentioned Kupp spoke with Matt Audilet of The Spun and made it clear he'd like to see OBJ back in Los Angeles colors.

"We talk a lot. I want him back. I want him to be a part of the Los Angeles Rams," Kupp explained. "We’ll have him come pursue a Super Bowl with us again. He was just such a great teammate, such a great person, incredible football player. I learned a ton from him. I want him to come back so bad, but that’s something that they’re working through.

"I’ll just keep asking him, keep asking him what it’s looking like. Hopefully one of these days he gives me the thumbs up that he’s got something and he’s coming back."

Beckham originally joined the Rams as a free agent in November and recorded 27 catches for 305 yards with five touchdowns in regular-season action before he added 21 receptions for 288 yards and two scores during the playoffs. Assuming he's happy staying on the West Coast, he and the Rams could theoretically come to an agreement that benefits all involved once he can pass a team physical.

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