Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) and wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) watch from the sidelines against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half in an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Seahawks OTAs: What Cooper Kupp said about Sam Darnold after first practice

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Tim Weaver | Last updated May 29, 2025 12:31 PM ET

You don't need to tell Seattle Seahawks fans what Cooper Kupp brings to their new-look wide receiver room. They're quite accustomed to seeing Kupp drop big numbers on Seattle's defense ever since he arrived in the NFL as a third-round draft pick by the Rams back in 2017.

Kupp projects as the team's number two option at this spot behind rising star Jaxon Smith-Njigba. However, his experience and age makes him the eldest veteran in the Seahawks' wide receiver room in the absence of Tyler Lockett, who was cut for cap savings and has since moved on to the Tennessee Titans.

Kupp has only had a couple of practices in a Seattle uniform, but so far he likes what he's seen from the team's new starting quarterback, Sam Darnold. Here's what Kupp said about QB1 coming out of their first OTAs session earlier this week, per the team website.

Cooper Kupp on Sam Darnold

"He's awesome... He's been great in terms of having a little bit of familiarity with the offense coming into this. The insights that he shares and the confidence he has in being able to say, 'Hey, these are the things that have worked in this offense' in terms of how we've operated and how he's operated, and being able to collaborate together and figure out what that looks like for us as we put this team together—this skill group, this offensive line, this quarterback group, as we get together and figure out what we're going to be about, to be able to have that collaborative talking, it's been really good."

While this is technically Darnold's first year running offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's scheme, he has been playing in a similar scheme the last two seasons - first as a backup with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023 and then as a breakout star with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024.

Darnold was particularly effective last season throwing deep, where the advanced stats say he had the best numbers in the league. However, the big x-factor with the Seahawks will be whether or not he actually has time to unload those long balls.

While he didn't have an elite offensive line in Minnesota, it was significantly better than the one he'll be throwin behind in Seattle - at least to start. The Seahawks finished at or near the bottom in most important metrics and will be returning four of five starters - the exception being first-round draft pick Grey Zabel sliding in at left guard.

If Zabel's presence can inspire a new attitude and a different result than we've seen from Seattle at the line of scrimmage in recent years, then the sky's the limit for this offense. If not, then none of the other moves that the Seahawks have made this offseason are going to make much of a difference.

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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