The necessary bad is his contract. $30m cap hit this year, and $26m cap hit next year.
The good: that squeezes the Chiefs, realistically, for the 2024 season, when the incoming Chris Jones and Orlando Brown extensions inflate. They're going to have a ton of cheap rookies playing the next couple of years, Mahomes will flex his contract however the hell you ask him, and their cap is really clean starting this year once they cut Frank Clark and extend Jones. You can work out Sneed and Gay extensions in 2024 where the cap won't hurt you too bad.
And then, in 2025, Hopkins' contract concludes and several of those deals have room to inflate.
Meanwhile, Hopkins gives you desperately needed playmaking at the WR position. He's not the All Pro he was at his peak, but you're getting him at the age 31/32 seasons, and Reid/Mahomes will put him in every position to succeed. What do you think he'd put up? 1400 yards and 9 TDs?
We have 11 draft picks this year, we can afford to flip a low 2nd for him. We're likely getting more compensatory draft picks in the coming seasons.
Anyway, just chewing on the idea, prepared to be slaughtered over it. [Reply]
I love the idea! I think Hopkins would be fantastic for the Chiefs! He'd really take us over the top IMO. I'm not concerned about his age at all, and that contract is a deal compared to more recent star WR contracts. If he's willing to play out the next two years of his contract without a new deal, I don't think there's any better talent out there. Let Hardman and MVS walk, letting MVS go saves us $11m salary & $14m cap hit which goes a long way in helping us find room to pay Hopkins. While a 2nd round pick might be a lot more affordable, there's a very very low chance of that pick becoming a Deandre Hopkins level talent.
Probably will build this off season like we did last. This board will hate it because they have the patience of a 5 year old but it's the right way to do it [Reply]
NO FUCKING WAY! Keep the draft picks and move forward. Hopkins is not the Hopkins of yester year. He has become, like most, a NAME/BRAND. Get real. [Reply]