Getty Images Head Coach Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns.
Arizona Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins is expected to be one of the most notable names on the trade market this offseason and the Cleveland Browns have been identified as a team that should pursue the former All-Pro.
The Cardinals are planning to deal their No. 1 wide receiver this offseason, per Jordan Schultz of theScore. Hopkins is a three-time First-Team All-Pro selection and has six thousand-yard seasons to his name.
However, Hopkins is coming off a couple of sub-par years that have been hampered by injury and suspension, playing in just 19 games over the last two seasons. He played in nine games this season with the Cardinals, notching 717 yards on 64 grabs with three touchdowns.
The Browns were pointed out as a team that could go after Hopkins via trade by Bleacher Report, citing his past success with Deshaun Watson. Here’s what B/R had to say about a potential move by the Browns:
Cleveland has a pair of quality receivers in Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones, but adding Hopkins would round out the receiving corps in a big way. Watson has thrived with Hopkins in the past, and there’s little reason to think that the pair couldn’t reestablish their chemistry in Cleveland.
The Browns’ challenge would be financial. They are projected to be $6 million over the cap and will already have to find ways to trim their salary expenses. Even after doing so, Cleveland likely couldn’t acquire Hopkins without restructuring his contract and/or extending him.
Browns Confident in Resources Available to Improve Roster
The Browns made a major move last offseason to land Watson, giving up their 2022 first-round pick, 2023 and 2024 first-round picks, a 2022 fourth-round choice, a third-round pick in 2023 and a fourth-round pick in 2024. They also gave him a fully-guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal after he arrived in Cleveland.
On top of their limited assets, there is also a question about how much cap space the Browns will have available. They are rolling over a league-high $27.5 million of cap space and could restructure some contracts to make additional room, which Jack Duffin of the Orange and Brown Report laid out.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry also sounded very confident that they’d be able to make some impactful moves this offseason to improve the roster.
“We will have more than enough in terms of resources, picks, dollars and cap space to fortify the roster in the areas that we need to,” Berry said in his season recap press conference on January 9.
On his current contract, Hopkins carries a cap hit of $19.45 million in 2023 and $14.915 million in 2024. However, it’s also been reported that he wants a new contract, so those numbers could change.
Deshaun Watson Feels He Can Be Better Next Season
Watson was open about feeling some rust when he returned to the lineup, which he expected after being away from the game for nearly two years. He finished his condensed six-game regular season with 1,102 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions, with the Browns going 3-3 over in his starts.
Having Hopkins on his side would surely be a nice security blanket for Watson. Hopkins gained 4,115 total yards with Watson at the helm for the Texans, including a monster 1,572-yard season in 2018.
The Browns have Amari Cooper at their disposal, as well as Donovan Peoples-Jones. But adding Hopkins into the mix would add an entirely new element to the offense.