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 Megatron96:
We’re currently sitting on about $42 million in cap space. And we still might restructure CJ’s deal and find another $15 million give or take?
Originally Posted by bigjosh:
I think the numbers are off
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Yah, borrowed them from somebody else instead of looking them up myself. Gotta stop doing that. Fixed above. Bout $20-$30 million if CJ restructures, I think. Some of that isn’t free though. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chris Meck:
Mahomes is 23% of our cap in 2023.
Previous most cap percentage of a SB champion was Steve Young at 13% before Mahomes did it in February at 17%.
You DO understand what I'm saying, right?
Until Burrow, Hurts, and Herbert get paid they will about the only teams with an elite QB who takes up very little cap space. KC is facing that reality now. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Detoxing:
So we need a LT, RT, DE and S.
And apparently we have no money.
Kiss this F/A -Trade WR shit goodbye. It aint happening.
Womp womp womp
yeah, THAT is what I'm saying.
It's not that we have NO money, but we have SEVERAL holes to fill, and not MUCH money.
You can't blow it all on an over 30 big contract WR, which while he'd be nice to have, is a luxury when you have BIG GIANT HOLES at both OT spots and DE. Especially when it might take your second round pick, too. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tredadda:
Until Burrow, Hurts, and Herbert get paid they will about the only teams with an elite QB who takes up very little cap space. KC is facing that reality now.
We're going to need another really good draft. Period.
We'll pick up some bargains late in FA, but we're going to have to grow our own for a couple of years. It's just the way it is. [Reply]