The Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl without a star wide receiver, but they could reportedly make an elite offense even scarier by acquiring DeAndre Hopkins.
NFL insider Benjamin Albright told PHNX Cardinals that Kansas City is the "primary suitor" for Hopkins. He doesn't know the draft compensation the Cardinals would receive, but he said it's more likely they get a second-round pick than a first.
After the 2022 season, theScore's Jordan Schultz reported that the Cardinals plan to trade Hopkins this offseason.
Arizona hired a new general manager and head coach after a disappointing four-win season, and Hopkins is set to make $19.45 million (with a $30.75 million cap hit) in 2023. The Cardinals could seek a clean slate by moving the three-time All-Pro wideout, who turns 31 in June.
Hopkins began his Cardinals career by tallying 1,407 yards and six touchdowns in 2020. However, multiple lower body injuries limited him to 10 games in 2021, and he served a six-game suspension to start the 2022 season for violating the NFL's PED policy.
Yet he remains an impact player when on the field. Hopkins totaled 474 receiving yards in six full games with quarterback Kyler Murray last season.
Now imagine what he can accomplish when catching passes from Patrick Mahomes.
The Chiefs flourished without a star replacement for Tyreek Hill, but they could still benefit by solidifying the position this offseason. JuJu Smith-Schuster is a free agent after garnering 78 catches for 933 yards on a one-year deal. The depth chart features several talented question marks in Mecole Hardman, Kadarius Toney, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Adding Hopkins could be great news for Kansas City, but terrible for all opposing defenses.
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Originally Posted by Mile High Mania:
My two cents... KC is in a nice position with Mahomes and he has the ability to make average WRs produce in that offense. I believe their success in the passing game will allow them to do really well without paying big $ for a 'star' WR as long as Kelce is there.
Kelce is 33 and 10 years in the league... no real signs of slowing down, but the window will start soon and KC needs to look 2-3 years down the road and prepare for life without him as the stud. At that point, if KC does not find the next great TE, then yeah they will need a stud WR.
I don't think they need to overpay for a WR right now, not sure I would be a fan of the getting OBJ or Hopkins unless the price were right. KC can find guys like MVS and JJS every year for a relative bargain. And, with Pacheco, he adds the dimension they've missed since moving on from Hunt.
Excellent analysis MHM !! And there's the rub 'in bold'. IF Kelce goes down we really don't have a serious threat at WR in the red zone. Juju is coming along knowing the offense better but not quite there yet and Toney is just beginning. You make a great point about Pacheco BUT if Kelce goes down defenses will stack the box even moreso. I'm all for DHop IF he plays ball financially!! [Reply]
Now with the Taylor signing, instead of OBJ, there's a chance. Not much of one still, but now at least it's gone from complete fantasy to a long shot possibility. Especially if ARI comes down off their ridiculous idea that they can get a 2nd. The longer teams go without freaking out and overpaying WRs during this cycle, the more the door ajars for KC to steal Dhop. [Reply]
I can find multiple examples of guys that got hurt at an old age and were never anywhere close to the same. I can find multiple examples of elite guys that fell off when they turned 30+. I can find multiple examples of 30+ year old receivers that continued producing at a high level for several years, but in all of those examples that player didn't have back to back season ending injuries at 29 and 30 years old. So here's an exercise for someone that wants DHop
Please find me an example of a WR who produced under those same scenarios. Guy that's over 30, so 31 or older and had multiple injuries between 27 and 30.
Also I keep reading that he had 700 yds in 9 games and how good he was, but how good was he really? Let's compare Hopkins and Juju from last year.
Hopkins
9 games - 96 targets/64 receptions/717 yds/11.2 ypc/3 TDs
Juju
16 games - 101 targets/78 receptions/933 yds/12 ypc/3 TDs
11.2 ypc is the worst of Hopkins career
Juju only had 5 more targets and greatly out performed the dude.
The only thing impressive is that Hopkins was able to fit in almost a full years worth of targets into 9 games. Hopkins numbers last year are the result of a shitty QB and no other person to throw the ball to. Hopkins led them in receiving and played just over half the season. Marquise Brown isn't a bad number 2, but he and Hopkins only played 4 games together.
This would be such an incredibly bad trade that I know it isn't even realistic. Brett Veach isn't a fan hoping a guy can come here and regain his former glory. He's extremely smart and a realist.
How many yards/receptions/TDs/etc. do you think JuJu would have if he were the one catching balls from 4 of the worst QBs in the NFL, instead of the best QB ever? Point being, JuJu basically underperformed in spite of having it as easy as he did in 2022. [Reply]
Originally Posted by dlphg9:
I can find multiple examples of guys that got hurt at an old age and were never anywhere close to the same. I can find multiple examples of elite guys that fell off when they turned 30+. I can find multiple examples of 30+ year old receivers that continued producing at a high level for several years, but in all of those examples that player didn't have back to back season ending injuries at 29 and 30 years old. So here's an exercise for someone that wants DHop
Please find me an example of a WR who produced under those same scenarios. Guy that's over 30, so 31 or older and had multiple injuries between 27 and 30.
Also I keep reading that he had 700 yds in 9 games and how good he was, but how good was he really? Let's compare Hopkins and Juju from last year.
Hopkins
9 games - 96 targets/64 receptions/717 yds/11.2 ypc/3 TDs
Juju
16 games - 101 targets/78 receptions/933 yds/12 ypc/3 TDs
11.2 ypc is the worst of Hopkins career
Juju only had 5 more targets and greatly out performed the dude.
The only thing impressive is that Hopkins was able to fit in almost a full years worth of targets into 9 games. Hopkins numbers last year are the result of a shitty QB and no other person to throw the ball to. Hopkins led them in receiving and played just over half the season. Marquise Brown isn't a bad number 2, but he and Hopkins only played 4 games together.
This would be such an incredibly bad trade that I know it isn't even realistic. Brett Veach isn't a fan hoping a guy can come here and regain his former glory. He's extremely smart and a realist.
.
I get your point. DHop has had only one decent QB ever throw to him and that was Watson. That tells you how good this guy is and can only imagine what a Mahomes could do for his career(He made Brian Hoyer look like a real starter). He still has decent mileage left on his wheels IMO. We still only have one feared threat in the red zone and that is Kelce. Throw DHop in there we score "every time" in the red zone. Now does DHop have the desire and aptitude to learn what Andy wants? Who knows? [Reply]
Originally Posted by dlphg9:
I can find multiple examples of guys that got hurt at an old age and were never anywhere close to the same. I can find multiple examples of elite guys that fell off when they turned 30+. I can find multiple examples of 30+ year old receivers that continued producing at a high level for several years, but in all of those examples that player didn't have back to back season ending injuries at 29 and 30 years old. So here's an exercise for someone that wants DHop
Please find me an example of a WR who produced under those same scenarios. Guy that's over 30, so 31 or older and had multiple injuries between 27 and 30.
Also I keep reading that he had 700 yds in 9 games and how good he was, but how good was he really? Let's compare Hopkins and Juju from last year.
Hopkins
9 games - 96 targets/64 receptions/717 yds/11.2 ypc/3 TDs
Juju
16 games - 101 targets/78 receptions/933 yds/12 ypc/3 TDs
11.2 ypc is the worst of Hopkins career
Juju only had 5 more targets and greatly out performed the dude.
The only thing impressive is that Hopkins was able to fit in almost a full years worth of targets into 9 games. Hopkins numbers last year are the result of a shitty QB and no other person to throw the ball to. Hopkins led them in receiving and played just over half the season. Marquise Brown isn't a bad number 2, but he and Hopkins only played 4 games together.
This would be such an incredibly bad trade that I know it isn't even realistic. Brett Veach isn't a fan hoping a guy can come here and regain his former glory. He's extremely smart and a realist.