Getty Free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
The Cleveland Browns have yet to show any significant interest in free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins but they’re not completely out of the mix just yet.
Hopkins was released by the Arizona Cardinals on May 26 and the Browns have been linked to the former All-Pro. His former Texans teammate and current Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson even made a public pitch to his former top pass-catcher.
However, Hopkins has taken visits with the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans and the Browns haven’t seemed too eager to bring him in for a closer look. But per Sal Paolantonio, the Browns are still “lurking” as a potential suitor.
“Carolina’s lurking, Cleveland is lurking for sure. But if I’m DeAndre Hopkins, do I want to go to Carolina with a rookie [quarterback]? Do I want to go to Cleveland?” Paolantonio said during an appearance on ESPN Radio on June 27. “Or do I want to go to New England where I can be coached by Bill Belichick? … The Patriots are trying to be relevant in the division. Right now, they’re the fourth team in the division. You bring in DeAndre Hopkins and he is going to transform them into sort of into a buzz right away in the AFC East.”
DeAndre Hopkins Would be Luxury for Browns
For the Browns, Hopkins would be more of a luxury than a necessity. The Browns have beefed up their wide receiver depth with the likes of Elijah Moore, Marquise Goodwin and others, adding them to a room that already includes Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones.
The Patriots, on the other hand, appear to have a more urgent interest in a receiver of Hopkins’ caliber as they look to establish themselves as a contender in the AFC East.
“There’s mutual interest. Bill likes him — Bill Belichick likes DeAndre Hopkins, likes his game. And DeAndre Hopkins likes the situation in New England, knows Bill O’Brien. It’s a perfect fit at a time when they need a wide receiver that can get separation. They need somebody like that.”
Browns Not Expected to Make Play for DeAndre Hopkins
There are reasons why Hopkins signing with Cleveland makes sense. He’d be playing for a contender and his history with Watson has to be considered.
“I know there’s a lot of things swirling around in the media about him possibly coming to Cleveland,” Watson said in May. “For me, my answer to that is, of course we’d love to have him.”
But the Browns already have some weapons they’re excited about, notably Moore, who has been impressive this offseason. He’s expected to play a large role in the Browns’ offense alongside Cooper and Peoples-Jones.
“By all accounts, [Moore] had a really strong spring and he contributed to the comfort level that Cleveland had with its receiver room, which is a reason why the team hasn’t dipped its toe into the DeAndre Hopkins sweepstakes quite yet (and probably won’t, barring some sort of material change),” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported on June 26.
Moore is a speedy option who the Browns plan to play all over the field. He was traded to the Browns on March 22 after two years with the New York Jets.