NFL News: Rams get a key teammate back for Matthew Stafford after Cooper Kupp's trade saga

The NFC West is tight and the Los Angeles Rams don’t want to give their rivals an advantage, so quarterback Matthew Stafford is bringing back a key player to lead head coach Sean McVay’s 4-4 team in the 2024 NFL season. The news is complemented by the confirmation of Cooper Kupp‘s continuity after days of trade rumors.

The trade window closed and after the deadline the Rams secured Kupp, at least until the end of the season. The veteran wide receiver was wanted by a number of franchises, but no deal was struck. Quarterback Stafford will look to Kupp as a target for his pass rush as the Rams look for their fourth straight win this weekend.

The player the Rams bring back to help Stafford is none other than tackle Joe Noteboom. The 29-year-old tackle is in his seventh season with the Los Angeles franchise and returns after missing most of the tournament with a nagging ankle injury that has kept him on injured reserve since the opening day of the league season.

Noteboom had started at left tackle in the loss to the Lions in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season, but was forced off the field with a complicating ankle injury. During his lengthy stay with the Rams, Joe has appeared in 68 professional games.

Joe Noteboom of the Los Angeles Rams

Rams get to make room for Noteboom on the roster

Noteboom’s return to the active roster at full strength is a timely development for the Rams, who have cleared a 53-man roster spot after trading corner Tre’Davious White to the Baltimore Ravens. As part of the deal, the Los Angeles franchise will acquire a 2027 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick from the Ravens.

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An important absence for the Rams in the MNF

The Rams take on the Miami Dolphins at SoFi Stadium on Monday night and will be without one player who shares a position with Noteboom. That’s tackle Rob Havenstein, who will miss the next game in Week 10 due to an ankle injury.

Kupp is a key player after overcoming trade rumors

The trade rumors are over for the Rams, who see Kupp as a key player for their season aspirations. McVay had said days earlier that “he’s very happy to have Cooper Kupp with us, and I hope it stays that way”. In the current campaign, the 31-year-old wide receiver has recorded 34 receptions for 302 yards and two touchdowns, and had missed four weeks of the season due to a prolonged injury. In his last two games, Kupp has registered 16 receptions.