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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I think it points to the chiefs needing to get way way way better at finding WRs in the draft. We just haven’t been very good at it outside of hill. Let’s hope so. We were also really bad at finding OL and then we got red hot finding trey and creed in the same draft. Same with LB. But it starts first with shooting for an actual WR1 instead of arguably focusing recently on guys who fit a role
Yep just need to commit to finding a WR1. Would probably need to trade though to make that happen this year. [Reply]
Originally Posted by chiefs1111:
Yeah he posted it yesterday so people in Buffalo are running with it thinking it means hes going there.
The week before he was saying DAL, and no one in the DAL building had spoken with him. I hope this is just another example of him trying to make a market for himself. [Reply]
There has to be a better option than giving up a 2cd for Hopkins or drafting a WR in the first. I don't even love the idea of drafting a WR in the 2cd but that very well could be where the value is at. We won't know until we get to that position. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Megatron96:
Or, Veach could be saying to himself, "we've got Toney, MVS and Skyy as our top WRs, and we expect big things from them, so all I need to do in this draft is get another role-player, develop him, and we're good!"
I don't believe that, but it's possible. I guess we'll know when he drafts whoever in the 2nd.
They may get OBJ on a cheap one year deal, but Im almost certain this is their train of thought on the position. He passed up several guys on very doable contracts.
Either that or they don't think there are any available WRs worth the price that they cost. [Reply]
Originally Posted by dlphg9:
They may get OBJ on a cheap one year deal, but Im almost certain this is their train of thought on the position. He passed up several guys on very doable contracts.
Either that or they don't think there are any available WRs worth the price that they cost.
OBj brings off the field issues; not sure Andy wants to do that after what happened with TO. Also, OBJ wants a multi-year contract. he probably won't do a prove-it deal. And that's hard to swallow considering he hasn't played a game in well over a year, because he tore the same ACL twice in under two years.
And then it's whether you can get him to run-block, play positions other than the boundary, and if he'd be willing to take fewer targets, in favor of toney/Skyy in some games. And Travis in every game, just about. When he has to have as many targets as possible to rebuild his value so he can make big $$$ again.
But it's not really about the money for Veach. He can find $10M if he wants to. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chief Roundup:
There has to be a better option than giving up a 2cd for Hopkins or drafting a WR in the first. I don't even love the idea of drafting a WR in the 2cd but that very well could be where the value is at. We won't know until we get to that position.
I detest trading draft picks, but I'm warming up to the idea of trading for Hopkins. I just don't see a strong #1 within reach (but what do I know?) in this draft. It is reasonable to assume the CHoefs will draft no higher than 28 in the next 2-3 years? You either get lucky and find a diamond, or you have to trade to find a #1 in the short term. I'm hoping Veach pulls a VEach and trades a 2023 3 and maybe a 2024 #3 since the Chiefs be swimming in compensatories. [Reply]