Former Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is a free agent, and contract woes could keep him on the open market for a while. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, there is no clear frontrunner for his services, and two teams have already determined that Hopkins’ current price tag is too rich for their budget.
Contract Issues Could Stall A DeAndre Hopkins Signing
The Report
According to Florio, there appears to be a significant financial difference between what DeAndre Hopkins wants in a new contract and what the market is willing to pay. The Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs both discussed trading for Hopkins while he was still on the Cardinals, but Florio believes that the two organizations “(1) know what he wants; and (2) know they’re not willing to give it to him.”
There is a realistic chance that the DeAndre Hopkins contract drama stems from the Odell Beckham signing. Prior to the NFL Draft, Beckham signed a one-year, $18 million contract with $15 million guaranteed even though he hasn’t played football since 2021 and is coming off a serious knee injury. Hopkins likely believes that this contract set the market, and that he deserves to be paid more than Beckham.
Only time will tell if a team is willing to bend to Hopkins’ demands, but seeing as everyone in the NFL was shocked to see Beckham get so much money, Hopkins probably won’t get that type of guaranteed money. Even if he can’t get top dollar, the wide receiver should have plenty of suitors.
.@DeAndreHopkins will take his talents to _____. pic.twitter.com/ECoxZ5w3AV
— NFL (@NFL) June 1, 2023
Teams That Could Give DeAndre Hopkins A Contract
If DeAndre Hopkins is willing to lower his contract demands, then the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs will still be the two most likely fits. As discussed earlier, both teams are in the midst of their championship window, boast elite quarterbacks, and could use more help at wide receiver. However, they’re both short on cap space, with each club currently having less than $2 million in available spending money.
The best-case scenario for Hopkins and these organizations is to come up with an incentive-laden deal tied to game appearances. Hopkins only played in nine games last season, so adding a payout for 10 games would count as a Not Likely to be Earned (NLTBE) incentive that wouldn’t count on the 2023 salary cap. Similar incentives could be included for number of catches (64), yards (717), and touchdowns (3).
Of course, there is always the possibility that a team to hand out more guarantees than the Chiefs and Bills, even if it’s not as much as Hopkins wants. Right now, the three most likely teams to outbid the competition for Hopkins’ services are the New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions, and the Baltimore Ravens. Each one of these teams has enough cap space to give DeAndre Hopkins a solid contract, and each team has a need at wide receiver.
Chris Olave is a star in the making, but the Saints could use another wide receiver. Michael Thomas is anything but a sure thing at this point in his career, and while Rashid Shaheed showed some promise as a rookie, he’s still an unknown commodity. The Detroit Lions, meanwhile, need a reliable option opposite Amon-Ra St. Brown, and with Javonte Williams suspended, Hopkins is a perfect fit. The Baltimore Ravens upgraded their wide receiver room but still need a perimeter threat that can win in contested situations.
Dark Horse Candidates
DeAndre Hopkins recently appeared on the I Am Athlete podcast to discuss what he wants in a new team. The wide receiver wants a stable organization, a true franchise quarterback, and a strong defense. Each of the aforementioned teams provides at least two of those three qualities, but there are a few dark horse teams reportedly linked to Hopkins.
According to various reports, Hopkins has already visited with the Houston Texans. The wide receiver obviously began his career with that organization, and it is interesting to see him possibly coming back to his original NFL home. While C.J. Stroud has plenty of potential, this team does not have a good defense, a stable coaching staff, or a realistic shot at the playoffs.
Additionally, Hopkins might also be visiting the New England Patriots. The Patriots have a stable organization and one of the better defenses in the league, but nobody knows if Mac Jones has what it takes to be a franchise quarterback. On top of that, Hopkins and current Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien didn’t exactly leave Houston on the best of terms.
