Getty Deshaun Watson talks with head coach Kevin Stefanski.
The Cleveland Browns are about to sign a game-changer to their offense.
That’s one of 100 “bold predictions” that Connor Orr of Sports Illustrated authored on Wednesday, May 31, when he suggested that former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will ultimately reunite with his former teammate Deshaun Watson in Cleveland.
“I think Browns management knows, deep down, that after they completely embarrassed themselves in acquiring Deshaun Watson, the only aspect of the move that could make them look worse would be if Watson underperforms,” Orr wrote. “Through six games as a Brown, Watson has underperformed. Hopkins has already succeeded in extricating himself from one of the worst franchises in sports. Now he gets to pick his next NFL home. In Cleveland, he can reunite with the QB from his three first-team All-Pro seasons.”
DeAndre Hopkins Signs New Agent With Deep Ties to Browns
GettyFormer Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins waves to fans during an NBA game at Footprint Center in October 2022.
A few signals have surfaced that have allowed Orr and others to leap to the conclusion that Hopkins is bound for Cleveland. One of the most recent is the wide receiver’s decision to sign a new agent with major ties to the Browns organization, which Will Burge of Barstool Sports highlighted on Wednesday.
“What is far more interesting is that Hopkins just signed a new agent,” Burge wrote. “A new agent that is based out of Cleveland. A new agent that works for Klutch who also represents Myles Garrett, Jedrick Wills Jr., Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Perrion Winfrey and Dawand Jones.”
Burge went on to point to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday that indicated the Buffalo Bills probably won’t be able to work out the financials to add Hopkins, and that the Kansas City Chiefs aren’t in a rush to do a deal.
“Adam Schefter said yesterday that he doesn’t think the money works with the Bills and that the Chiefs are the front runner but will take their time. If that’s the case I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility for the Browns to sneak in and hand Hopkins a massive prove it deal with all their cap space,” Burge wrote. “I’m not sure they would want to give him anything longer than a year or two, but if the market is as tepid as Schefter says, then beggars can’t be choosers. And the Browns seem to be pushing their chips into the center of the table.”
Deshaun Watson Voices Support for DeAndre Hopkins Joining Browns
GettyQuarterback Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns wants wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on the team.
Furthermore, Watson wants Hopkins with him in Cleveland. The quarterback said Tuesday that he “would love” to pair up with the wideout again after the two made magic together as members of the Houston Texans between 2017-19, per Jake Trotter of ESPN.
Hopkins has been an All-Pro on five occasions, earning a spot on the first-team three times. All three of those campaigns came in Houston with Watson as his quarterback.
“I’ll just say this … DeAndre Hopkins would love to be in a place where the opportunity is there for us to win,” Watson said. “We check all those boxes, and I think for us to know and make sure we check all those boxes on the national stage, we’ve got to go out there and prove it. And I think D-Hop would love to be a part of that.”