Cooper Kupp didn't get "a ton of clarity" from the Rams about the decision to move on

Receiver Cooper Kupp did great things with the Rams. In 2021, he had one of the greatest single seasons for any receiver in NFL history. He capped that season by winning the Super Bowl MVP award.

And, still, when it was time to move on, the Rams didn't give him any special consideration. Or any normal consideration.

"It's been difficult," Kupp told reporters during his introductory press conference with the Seahawks. "In all honesty, it's been very difficult and frustrating and there's been lots of questions. It's a real tough situation. I've said, I've always imagined that I'd finish my career there, but that's not what the plan was that God had for me and my family."

He was asked if the Rams explained their decision to cut the cord on Kupp's career in L.A.

"I'm sure they have their reasons for why they want to do things, whatever it is," Kupp said. "Not a ton of clarity in that regard. But at the end of the day, I'm thankful to be able to walk away from that organization and be able to look back on all those memories, all those experiences, all those things that we were able to go through together and the relationships that we had with so many people there and look at it in a positive light and be very thankful for my time in Los Angeles."

It's another example of the harsh realities of pro football. Every player is a piece in a machine. Every piece of that machine will be changed out, at some point.

Sometimes, the player gets to leave the machine on his own terms. Far more often than not, the machine removes the player and replaces him with a newer, cheaper part.

Of course, the Rams opted to replace Kupp with someone older and more expensive in Davante Adams. They basically decided that Kupp was no longer good enough to be the No. 2 receiver, and there seemed to be no interest in working out a deal that would allow him to stay at the No. 3.

The Rams likely knew that it wouldn't work. The Seahawks are paying Kupp like a No. 2.

Still, whatever the reasoning, it sounds like no one took the time to explain it to Kupp. And if a team won't show more respect to a guy who was the MVP of a Super Bowl, what degree of sensitivity can the average player expect?