Getty Free agent WR DeAndre Hopkins.
DeAndre Hopkins has started making his rounds as he weighs where he’ll sign next but he’s not expected to be visiting with the Cleveland Browns any time soon.
The Browns were once the betting favorite to land Hopkins but it seems like the idea of signing the former All-Pro pass-catcher is firmly on the back burner, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com
“They do not plan to bring him in,” Cabot said during an appearance on Sports4CLE on Tuesday. “As we know, he was with the Titans [Monday] and is visiting the Patriots. And then he might schedule more visits after that. The only way he would end up here is if the Browns end up with a significant injury and if D-Hop waits and his market isn’t what he wanted it to be. If he figured, you know what, let me let me wait and let somebody go down in training camp, or a preseason game and let somebody need me enough to give me the money that I feel I deserve.”
The idea of signing Hopkins was always seen as a luxury, not a necessity for the Browns, who have already done work this offseason to improve their wide receiver depth. They’ve added Elijah Moore, Marquise Goodwin and rookie Cedric Tillman to a receiver corps that already included Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Made Pitch to DeAndre Hopkins
The idea of reuniting Hopkins and quarterback Deshaun Watson was an intriguing one and the Browns quarterback made a public pitch to his former teammate shortly after he was released by the Arizona Cardinals.
“He’s always been a brother of mine since I was coming out of high school. Our connection, our relationship has always been great,” Watson said on May 31. “And I know there’s a lot of things swirling around in the media about him possibly coming to Cleveland. For me, my answer to that is, of course we’d love to have him.”
Watson was asked for an update on the situation during mandatory minicamp and had nothing to report, referring the question to general manager Andrew Berry.
Cabot: DeAndre Hopkins Wants to Situation to be Right
Shortly before becoming a free agent, Hopkins listed the things he wanted out of his next team. It included a steady front office, a quarterback with the ability to rally the troops and a great defense. The Browns check those boxes, although they would likely not be the team to tender him the most lucrative offer.
“He’s obviously getting up there. So this is not a situation where he’s a 26-year-old receiver out there getting free agency for the first time,” Cabot said of the 31-year-old Hopkins. “So you know, he’s got to grab the brass ring while he still can. And he wants the situation to be right. He really does. Want to have an opportunity to challenge for the Super Bowl and do all those kinds of things.”
Hopkins is a three-time first-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler. However, he’s played in just 19 games over the last two seasons due to injury and a PED suspension. He notched 64 catches for 717 yards and three touchdowns in nine games last season with the Cardinals.