Getty Images Free agent receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
The Buffalo Bills have made a number of key additions on offense this offseason, but quarterback Josh Allen would be in favor of one more big move.
Allen spoke out on the team’s future on June 7, the day the Madden football franchise revealed that he would be featured on the cover of this summer’s edition of the popular video game. In an interview with Mackenzie Salmon of USA Today Sports, Allen was also asked about the rumors that the Bills could be interested in signing wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, saying he would “love” for the team to sign him.
“(It) would increase our Madden offensive rating probably quite a bit,” Allen said. “He’s a heck of a talent and a heck of a player. We’d love to have him.”
DeAndre Hopkins Shares Love for Josh Allen
Hopkins has already shared some love for Allen, mentioning the Bills quarterback in a May 22 episode of the I AM ATHLETE podcast. When Hopkins was asked what quarterback he would like to have throwing him the ball, Allen was the first one who came to mind.
“One of my favorite quarterbacks that I’ve been watching since he came into the league is Josh Allen,” Hopkins said. “He reminds me of a new-school Andrew Luck. I love Josh Allen.”
While he has not explicitly endorsed a team for his next destination, Hopkins made it clear that he wants to go to a team with a stable front office. The three-time All-Pro wide receiver took a shot at his previous two teams, the Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans.
“What I want is stable management upstairs,” Hopkins said. “I think that’s something I haven’t really had the past couple years of my career coming from Houston and then to Arizona. I’ve been through three or four GMs in my career, so a stable management. A QB who loves the game, a QB who brings everybody on board with him and pushes not just himself but everybody around him … and a great defense. A great defense wins championships.”
Bills Could Be a Long Shot for DeAndre Hopkins
While a number of insiders have identified the Bills as a logical destination for Hopkins, general manager Brandon Beane appeared to pump the brakes on the rumors. In a June 5 appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Beane said the Bills would likely be priced out of the competition to land Hopkins.
“It would definitely have to fit with how we would restructure the salary and all that, so never ruling it out,” Beane said. “I know he’s a good player and he’ll likely demand a decent contract.”
After Beane’s comments, the Bills freed up some cap space by giving a contract extension to defensive tackle Ed Oliver. ESPN’s Field Yates tweeted that the four-year, $68-million extension created close to $5.8 million in 2023 cap space for the Bills, but much of that was already used when the Bills signed edge rusher Leonard Floyd.
Free-agent WR DeAndre Hopkins is slated to fly to Nashville on Sunday for a visit with the #Titans, per sources.
D-Hop and Mike Vrabel were together in Houston. Now Vrabel’s team gets the first visit with Hopkins, the five-time Pro Bowl pick released by Arizona last month.
The Bills would also have plenty of competition if they wanted to land Hopkins. NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported that he was planning to fly to Nashville this weekend to meet with the Tennessee Titans.