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 staylor26:
So you think they'd pass on Darnell Wright or Anton Harrison if they fell into their lap?
I don't think either will be there, but it's certainly possible, and I think they'd be on our short list.
Yeah, I do think it's possible they pass on both, especially with this edge class. I'd say it's much more likely that neither are available at #31 though. So now what? Trade up for a RT? Because that seems to be what some people want to do. [Reply]
One question I have with a Hopkins OR OBJ signing is targets. One could just say that Hopkins/OBJ would get JuJu's 100 targets(which would be about 50 less than what Hopkins typically averages, would he be ok with that?) but I'd also ask where are Toney's targets going to come from?
I'm not sure if these are 100% correct but the this is what I found from a fast search:
Kelce: 152
JuJu: 104
MVS: 91
Skyy: 41
Hardman: 37
Watson: 35
Toney: 26
Lets say Kelce gets 130, Hopkins/OBJ get 100, Do you take MVS targets away and give them to Skyy and Toney?
Say we have about 500 max balls to TE/WRs
Kelce 150
Hopkins/OBJ 100(will this piss them off?)
Toney 75 (IS this enough?)
MVS 75 (down from 91?)
Skyy 50 (does this hurt his development?)
Left overs 50 for the rest
Seems like last season when everyone was healthy most of the balls went to Kelce, JuJu , MVS and rest random. So really only 3 main targets focused on.
IF Reid isn't lying about giving Toney and Skyy bigger roles one could argue that while Veach is still looking at bringing in Hopkins or OBJ he might see that as a MVS exit in a trade if they go that route.
MVS is never going to be a high target guy.....and if you want to be honest, it'd be nice if they could lower Kelce's targets a bit with his age. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
Yeah, I do think it's possible they pass on both, especially with this edge class. I'd say it's much more likely that neither are available at #31 though. So now what? Trade up for a RT? Because that seems to be what some people want to do.
I really like this EDGE class, but there aren't many out of the guys that will be available that I'd take over one of those guys. More likely there's a group of guys that I'd try to get aggrevie for in round 2 to pair with Harrison/Wright at 31. [Reply]
Originally Posted by staylor26:
I really like this EDGE class, but there aren't many out of the guys that will be available that I'd take over one of those guys. More likely there's a group of guys that I'd try to get aggrevie for in round 2 to pair with Harrison/Wright at 31.
Yeah, I just don't see a quality tackle falling to us, so there's that. And I just don't think they're in the market for a LTotF. They clearly said they wanted to move on from Brown because they wanted a long-term solution and then turned around and gave Taylor more money than Brown got.
I don't see them taking a tackle in the first really no matter what happens. I don't think they view it the same way some fans do or they never would have started Wylie and Brown for as long as they did. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
Yeah, I just don't see a quality tackle falling to us, so there's that. And I just don't think they're in the market for a LTotF. They clearly said they wanted to move on from Brown because they wanted a long-term solution and then turned around and gave Taylor more money than Brown got.
I don't see them taking a tackle in the first really no matter what happens. I don't think they view it the same way some fans do or they never would have started Wylie and Brown for as long as they did.
They are probably fine with Niang at RT and Wanagho as the backup...Wanagho actually has a far better athletic profile than Wylie does hell so does Niang.
WR, Edge, DT are likely the top of the list for this team unless something out of the ordinary happens. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
Yeah, I just don't see a quality tackle falling to us, so there's that. And I just don't think they're in the market for a LTotF. They clearly said they wanted to move on from Brown because they wanted a long-term solution and then turned around and gave Taylor more money than Brown got.
I don't see them taking a tackle in the first really no matter what happens. I don't think they view it the same way some fans do or they never would have started Wylie and Brown for as long as they did.
Eh, they also invested in Mitchell Schwartz at one point. I don't think they're desperate for one, but I can see them drafting a plug and play guy like one of those 2 if they fall to 31.
If they get Hopkins or OBJ, they definitely will take BPA. [Reply]
Originally Posted by staylor26:
Eh, they also invested in Mitchell Schwartz at one point. I don't think they're desperate for one, but I can see them drafting a plug and play guy like one of those 2 if they fall to 31.
If they get Hopkins or OBJ, they definitely will take BPA.
But they were willing to sign Schwartz when he took a pretty team friendly deal and Fisher wasn't grossly paid. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Mecca:
They are probably fine with Niang at RT and Wanagho as the backup...Wanagho actually has a far better athletic profile than Wylie does hell so does Niang.
WR, Edge, DT are likely the top of the list for this team unless something out of the ordinary happens.
Run stuffing DT next to Jones is something I don't see them investing in early when it comes down to it. I can maybe see them taking one the 2nd, but Veach has yet to invest more than a 3rd.
I think they'd take somebody like Mazi Smith ir Keaanu Benton if they fell to 63, 2 big guys with pass rush upside, but that's it. I don't think either last that long though. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Mecca:
MVS is never going to be a high target guy.....and if you want to be honest, it'd be nice if they could lower Kelce's targets a bit with his age.
Yeah, my feeling is that if Toney and Skyy are going to get more targets, MVS' targets are going to drop some anyway. MVS isn't ever going to be a critical part of the offense anyway. He's a role player more than a real receiver. In that role, he's pretty good. But he's not going to become a legit WR2. [Reply]
Originally Posted by staylor26:
Run stuffing DT next to Jones is something I don't see them investing in early when it comes down to it. I can maybe see them taking one the 2nd, but Veach has yet to invest more than a 3rd.
I think they'd take somebody like Mazi Smith ir Keaanu Benton if they fell to 63, 2 big guys with pass rush upside, but that's it. I don't think either last that long though.
Daniel Jeremiah has Mazi Smith at 26 to the Cowboys today so I guess he's rising. [Reply]