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 chiefforlife:
Yeah I agree but Hopkins is almost in the same category it just takes 3/4 seasons. Is that their fault? Is it the teams fault?
Dont know for sure but thats what makes WRs like this available to us.
No better team or Coach than Chiefs/Andy to handle a player on his 2nd or 3rd chance. (or 5th/6th in the Cooks case, LOL)
I have no idea really. It's just weird to me that Sean Payton had him for three years, and he produced well, but Sean dumped him after Michael Thomas was drafted. Apparently after a dispute, but i don't have any specifics about that.
Then he goes to NE, and after just one season Bill gets rid of him, despite a decent debut season. It's almost like Bill couldn't wait to get rid of him, after trading a 1st and a 3rd for him?
He's a good receiver, no question statistically, but something isn't clicking with that guy and whatever team he goes to. he seems to ear out his welcome pretty quickly. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefnj2:
If you have a chance to protect your franchise QB, you do it. I’m sick of watching a hobbled Mahomes in the playoffs holding my breath every time someone makes an ankle tackle on him.
There's the selling point.
Not only will Hopkins give Mahomes a super talent he can trust in tight spots and yolo balls, but this move also frees us up to take an OT in the first, to better protect the king. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Couch-Potato:
Why? OT is an expensive position and plays every down. We picked up Taylor because he's versatile and willing to play either LT or RT. Sort of signals to me that we might take our LT of the future at #31 and ask him to play RT initially the same way OBJ started his career. If our new OT surpasses Taylor in ability, Taylor is willing to move to RT.
You can't spend everywhere. Make no mistake about it - they signed Taylor to play LT. They're not paying him more than Brown to have him play right, even if he says he will. We don't need a LT of the future, Taylor is the future unless he flat out sucks. Even then, they have Taylor under contract through at least 2025 (when his dead cap drops from $35M to $10M) so they could take an OT next year if they really need to replace him.
You need to get used to the idea that Taylor is the LT they wanted. If they draft anybody, it will likely be a swing or right in the middle rounds. They're not taking an OT in the first. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Dante84:
There's the selling point.
Not only will Hopkins give Mahomes a super talent he can trust in tight spots and yolo balls, but this move also frees us up to take an OT in the first, to better protect the king.
Agreed. Trade a 3rd + whatever for Hopkins and we're set at WR for 2023, allows us to go OT and DE in the 1st and 2nd, plus take mid round flyer on a WR with upside that needs a couple years to develop. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RunKC:
Tackle is probably the 2nd hardest position to find in the league after QB. You just don’t see the types of guys Andy prefers being available often. 6’5”, 300+, 34 arms, 9.5+ hands and strength to boot. There aren’t that many humans with those characteristics.
Hell we saw how long it took with Fisher.
Never ever discount a quality tackle. Remember Wylie was just as bad as Orlando and they got lucky that the gameplan changed to quick outs against the Bengals and a water slide filed neutralized both teams pass rush.
Give me a good RT over a WR 100/100 times. If Patrick has time he’ll make it work with damn near anybody at WR
It really doesn't matter what we want. They just spent $80M with half of it guaranteed. Taylor is the starter at LT until he proves he's not.
If they take a tackle at all, it won't be in the first. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefnj2:
If you have a chance to protect your franchise QB, you do it. I’m sick of watching a hobbled Mahomes in the playoffs holding my breath every time someone makes an ankle tackle on him.
Part of the reason he's getting dinged up is WRs not getting open. Check out any highlight reel from 2022. Notice how many times you see Pat drop back, hit his back foot, and then have to pull the ball down and do something Mahomesian. Instead of just hitting his back foot and delivering the ball.
How many times does he have to pull magic rabbits out of his ass in those clips.
And how many times is he being hit as he does those magical things. I mean, they make for great highlight clips, but the fact that he constantly has to make chicken salad out of chickenshit because no WRs are getting open at all is kind of concerning.
Just watch one reel. Notice how many times Pat hits his back foot, his hands start to separate in anticipation of making a throw, and then he has to pull it down. Sometimes more than once before the takes off and does something spectacular.
Now rewind and watch the WRs that he was looking at and not throwing to on time. They're all locked down. So he has to run and create because WRs aren't doing their jobs well enough.
That's how Pat is getting dinged up, because if you have the time to double clutch, you have the time to throw the ball, if the guy is open. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
You can't spend everywhere. Make no mistake about it - they signed Taylor to play LT. They're not paying him more than Brown to have him play right, even if he says he will. We don't need a LT of the future, Taylor is the future unless he flat out sucks. Even then, they have Taylor under contract through at least 2025 (when his dead cap drops from $35M to $10M) so they could take an OT next year if they really need to replace him.
You need to get used to the idea that Taylor is the LT they wanted. If they draft anybody, it will likely be a swing or right in the middle rounds. They're not taking an OT in the first.
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. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ThyKingdomCome15:
Let the guys on the roster step up and build depth around them.
As someone mentioned Skyy only got 33 targets last year. Why is that? Probably because he was sitting behind Juju. He's a second year player now.
But that's not all, the draft has yet to take place. We're going to get some young receivers and the camp battles will be epic. We're going to be just fine.
They don't even have enough WR's to take the field right now. And you think they're just going to go with what they have and take a flyer in the draft?
Originally Posted by ThyKingdomCome15:
That's it, because you guys are getting testy we're not trading for Hopkins now. Go to your rooms and don't come out until you've had a change in attitude.
It has nothing at all to do with Hopkins. We don't even have enough WR's to take the field, as I mentioned. If you think they're going to go into the draft without acquiring another WR, you're fooling yourself. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefnj2:
If you have a chance to protect your franchise QB, you do it. I’m sick of watching a hobbled Mahomes in the playoffs holding my breath every time someone makes an ankle tackle on him.
They just spent $80M on Taylor. They already did what you want but apprently because he's not the perfect guy for the job in some people's eyes, it isn't good enough. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefnj2:
If you have a chance to protect your franchise QB, you do it. I’m sick of watching a hobbled Mahomes in the playoffs holding my breath every time someone makes an ankle tackle on him.
No OL can do what you're asking, the only QB's that don't get hit are the ones that throw the ball in a hurry you know like Brady. And if you ask Mahomes to do that you take away a lot of his playmaking ability, if you want him to still have that then you are going to have to live with he's going to get hit sometimes. [Reply]
At this point DHop becomes a need more than a want. I want no part of that brokedick diva OBJr. A 4th and 5th would be a fair price to pay given age and cap hit. [Reply]