Getty Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins called out the Detroit Lions for not pursuing him in NFL free agency.
For the second time in a matter of months, it appears the Buffalo Bills are falling short in the sweepstakes to land DeAndre Hopkins.
The Bills were reportedly in the running for Hopkins this summer, when he was traded to the Tennessee Titans. With the league’s October 31 trade deadline now approaching and the Titans looking to sell assets, insiders believed the Bills should again make a call on the dynamic wide receiver.
It appears that ship has now sailed. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that the Titans are likely holding onto their top two potential trade assets.
“DeAndre Hopkins and Derrick Henry look to be staying in Tennessee,” Russini reported. “Teams have called GM Ran Carthon on a number of players, and I was told Carthon is not moving on any offer unless it’s exceptional.”
DeAndre Hopkins and Derrick Henry look to be staying in Tennessee.
Teams have called but the Titans aren’t moving on any offers unless it’s exceptional, per @DMRussini.
The Cowboys never called about acquiring Henry.
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Bills Urged to Check on DeAndre Hopkins
The 5-3 Bills have struggled on offense at times this season, often getting inconsistent contributions from their wide receivers outside of Stefon Diggs. That led Syracuse.com’s Ryan Talbot to suggest that the Bills could follow up on their summer interest in Hopkins.
“Buffalo reportedly showed interest in DeAndre Hopkins this offseason,” Talbot wrote. “At one point, Hopkins even teased joining the Bills with an Instagram post that had lyrics to Buffalo Soldier. Hopkins eventually signed a two-year, $26 million contract with Tennessee, but his contract is an easy one for Buffalo to add. The wide receiver is owed around $1.25 million for the remainder of this season.”
Talbot added that Hopkins could have given the Bills a strong counterpart to Diggs in the passing game.
“Stefon Diggs has been Buffalo’s only consistent wide receiver this season,” he wrote. “Adding Hopkins would give the Bills another threat on the outside. Considering how poorly the offense has performed as of late, Buffalo would be wise to at least call Tennessee on Hopkins.”
Bills May Have Other Needs at Trade Deadline
While the odds of landing Hopkins now appear to be slim and approaching none, the Bills could still make other moves before the league’s trade deadline. Russini reported that the Bills were among several teams expected to be active in the market to fill needs.
“The Baltimore Ravens are looking to add a running back, the Cleveland Browns are looking to add a receiver and the Buffalo Bills are scanning the cornerback market,” Russini wrote.
Buffalo’s defense has been hit hard by injuries and inconsistent play. All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White suffered a season-ending Achilles tear, leading the team to pick up veteran free agent Josh Norman to add depth.
White’s injury has been compounded by the struggles of second-year cornerback Kaiir Elam. The 2022 first-round pick has been a healthy scratch for six of the team’s first eight games this season, including Thursday’s win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His diminishing role in the secondary has led to rumors that the Bills could looking to trade Elam.
The Bills could have other areas of need, including linebacker where Pro Bowler Matt Milano went down with a fractured leg.
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Bills Rumors: Odds of Landing All-Pro WR at Trade Deadline Become Clear