They learned nothing from the Cooper Kupp contract

The article argues against the Washington Commanders giving receiver Terry McLaurin, who is 30 years old and threatening a holdout, a massive new contract by comparing it to the Los Angeles Rams' perceived mistake with Cooper Kupp. The Rams gave Kupp a 3-year, $80 million deal after his Super Bowl win when he was younger than McLaurin is now, but subsequently paid him roughly $70 million for the worst seasons of his career.

It contends that wide receivers typically hit a performance decline between ages 29 and 31, supported by historical evidence. While exceptions like Jerry Rice and Larry Fitzgerald had Pro Bowl seasons later in their careers, the article notes they had to change their playing style, transitioning from outside deep threats to possession slot receivers. Crucially, possession receivers command significantly less money than elite deep threats.

The piece points out that Kupp, despite being a possession slot receiver when he won Offensive Player of the Year, has already shown decline: his yards per catch dropped from 12.7 in his first five seasons to 11.2 in the past three, and his per-game average fell from 79.1 yards in his 20s to 60 yards in his 30s. His reduced role, partly due to the emergence of rookie Puka Nacua, exemplifies the article's final point: smart teams rely on cost-effective receivers on rookie contracts (like Nacua earning $1 million) rather than overpaying aging stars demanding $30 million, as it's easier to get net positive value.