Getty Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was asked by former Chiefs tight end Jason Dunn on the “Chief Concerns” podcast what his thoughts were on free agent receiver DeAndre Hopkins possibly joining the defending Super Bowl champions. And as you would expect, Kelce was on board with the idea.
“Obviously, where that guy goes he’s the biggest free agent right now and one of the best players in the National Football League every time he puts a helmet on,” Kelce said in the June 5 clip. “I’m here to say that I would love to see him in a Chiefs uniform. Obviously, he’s going to do what’s best for him and his family moving forward. He had like five other quarterbacks on that list outside of Patrick Mahomes, so I’m sure he got a bunch of people knocking at his door and giving him a ring.”
It seems that current #Chiefs TE @tkelce and former #Chiefs TE @JasusTD89 are on the same wavelength when it comes to @DeAndreHopkins coming to #ChiefsKingdom 🤝🤝🤝
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The “list” Kelce was referring to is when Hopkins, 31, went on on the “I Am Athlete” podcast on May 22 and named five NFL quarterbacks that he’d like to catch passes from: Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Justin Herbert.
Insider Would Be ‘Stunned’ If DeAndre Hopkins Lands $15 Million Deal
The latest update on DeAndre Hopkins’ free agency came from Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, who wrote on June 5 that Hopkins’ market remains “murky”. Breer was also pessimistic when gauging the possibility of Hopkins landing a deal similar to Odell Beckham Jr.’s with the Baltimore Ravens.
“The DeAndre Hopkins market remains murky, but his hire of an agent (Klutch’s Kelton Crenshaw) should help,” Breer wrote. “We’ve been over this a few times now about how Odell Beckham Jr.’s deal has had an adverse effect on the Hopkins market. Beckham got $15 million in base pay from the Ravens, with another $3 million in upside.
“I’d be pretty stunned if that sort of deal is out there for Hopkins.”
Breer also detailed the chances of Hopkins signing with the Chiefs or Buffalo Bills.
“At this point, I’d say both those teams would sign him only at a discount,” he wrote. “The Chiefs gave money that would’ve gone to Hopkins to left tackle Donovan Smith. The Bills traded up for Dalton Kincaid, lessening their need for a chain-moving receiver and giving them another mouth to feed in an offense that has to get the ball plenty to Stefon Diggs.”
Even if there is a mutual desire between the Chiefs and Hopkins to join forces, Kansas City would first need to clear some cap space before they signed him.
According to Over The Cap’s effective cap space (the cap space a team will have after signing at least 51 players and its projected rookie class to its roster), the Chiefs are currently $652,557 over the cap.