Getty QB Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears runs with the ball against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field on December 24, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
One of the top priorities for the Chicago Bears this offseason is to land a high-end pass catcher. As luck would have it, one such player is about to hit the trade market.
DeAndre Hopkins, currently of the Arizona Cardinals, is hoping to land somewhere else after a tumultuous season in the desert. There are a handful of viable options, with Chicago ranking as one of the best among them. The Bears have an up-and-coming star in quarterback in Justin Fields and more than $110 million in cap space to absorb the final two years remaining on Hopkins’ contract, or more likely sign him to a new one.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report made the case for the Bears taking a run at Hopkins on Thursday, January 12.
Fields was a tremendous dual-threat this season, but he was much more dangerous with his legs than with his throwing arm.
Hopkins is the sort of reliable go-to target that could immediately aid Fields’ development as a passer. … To land Hopkins, the Bears would have to sell the five-time Pro Bowl receiver on their assets and their future.
Chicago might not be a contender now, but armed with a ridiculous amount of cap space, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft and a budding quarterback in Fields, that could change quickly.
Cardinals Intend to Deal Hopkins Amid Organizational Turmoil
GettyWide receiver DeAndre Hopkins of the Arizona Cardinals during a game against the New England Patriots at State Farm Stadium on December 12, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Jordan Schultz of The Score reported on Tuesday that the Cardinals are planning to deal Hopkins over the offseason.
Arizona had a disastrous 4-13 season in 2022, which ended with the firing of head coach Kliff Kingsbury and the resignation of general manager Steve Keim.
Quarterback Kyler Murray was at the center of multiple organizational problems over the last year, including public conflicts with Kingsbury over offensive schemes and play calling as well as a contract clause in his extension requiring him to commit to a specific amount of weekly film study.
The Cardinals finished last in the competitive NFC West Division and don’t look to be true contenders in the immediate future, which makes paying a player like Hopkins a less sensible investment.
Hopkins Crucial Player Type to Help Fields Evolve as Quarterback
GettyChicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
If Hopkins were to come to Chicago, he would immediately become Fields’ No. 1 option in the passing game.
While the Bears quarterback had a near-historic season rushing the football, finishing the year with 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns on 160 carries, there is substantial room for improvement for Fields the passer. In 15 games, the QB threw for 2,247 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, per Pro Football Reference.
The receiver room is thin, with the injured Darnell Mooney leading all wideouts with 493 yards and two touchdowns on 40 catches in 12 games played in 2022. Tight end Cole Kmet finished the year as Chicago’s leading pass catcher with 544 yards and seven touchdowns on 50 catches.
Hopkins, on the other hand, put up 717 yards and three touchdowns on 64 catches in just nine games played after serving a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s Performance Enhancing Drug Policy to start the year.
The 30-year-old Hopkins has earned trips to five Pro Bowls as well as three first-team All-Pro selections across his 10-year NFL career.