Getty Free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins doesn't appear to be heading to the Detroit Lions.
While they weren’t necessarily the favorite, many media members identified the Detroit Lions as a possible destination for 3-time All-Pro free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins this offseason. In fact, Fox Sports’ Shannon Sharpe called the Lions “the most logical spot” for Hopkins on May 29.
The noise about the potential of Hopkins signing with the Lions grew so loud, head coach Dan Campbell answered a question about the possibility during minicamp. Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown also faced questions about Hopkins during an appearance on NFL Network on June 8.
But in the final week of June, the Lions don’t appear to be in serious contention for Hopkins.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler floated three different teams as contenders for Hopkins while appearing on SportsCenter on June 25. None of those organizations were the Lions.
“There’s a lull in action right now. Training camp’s not for a month, not a lot of rush,” Fowler said on SportsCenter, via Bleacher Report. “He met with the Titans, met with the Patriots. Both teams made clear that they have major interest in signing him.
“I’m told there is some mutual interest and respect between the Patriots and Hopkins, that something could go down, but they couldn’t get that deal done while he was on the visit. You still have teams, like maybe the Chiefs, if they could clear up some money later, closer to training camp, then they could get involved.”
Fowler added that some contenders are “there,” but that at the moment, the receiver is waiting for the right situation.
DeAndre Hopkins Holding Out for a Contender?
Hopkins has reportedly visited the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans since the Arizona Cardinals released him on May 26. With Hopkins’ former head coach Bill O’Brien as the Patriots offensive coordinator, New England may be considered the favorite to land the 3-time first-team All-Pro receiver.
But it’s noteworthy that Hopkins hasn’t signed yet. At least that’s what Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer argued.
“What this tells me … is that he’s still holding out hope that he’s going to play for a contender — a true contender like Buffalo or Kansas City,” Breer said in an appearance on NBC Sports. “The one thing you want to watch here: Kansas City has almost no cap space. They’re working on a long-term deal for Chris Jones, their star defensive tackle, to lower his cap number.
“If that happens, the door could open back up for him going back to the Chiefs.”
Presumably, the Lions could be in the group of other contenders Fowler briefly mentioned. But two insiders have spoken about the Hopkins situation in the last week and neither of them specifically named the Lions as a potential suitor.
On June 14, The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy proposed the Lions targeting Hopkins in free agency, but Pouncy did not report whether or not the team actually held any interest.
Other Potential WR Options for Lions
A lot of the free agency rumors and chatter over the past month have centered around Hopkins, especially for teams perhaps in the market for another wideout before the season.
But the truth is it’s not a Hopkins or bust situation. There’s a few different receiving options if the Lions wish to add a wideout this summer.
Other than Hopkins, Julio Jones, Sammy Watkins, Byron Pringle and T.Y. Hilton are veteran receivers still looking for a new team in 2023. Furthermore, the Lions have been connected to former first-round pick and free agent receiver N’Keal Harry a couple different times this offseason.
Detroit trading for a veteran receiver isn’t out of the question either. Las Vegas Raiders wideout Hunter Renfrow could be an interesting potential fit.
There are other nice options. But as of June 26, it appears the most-coveted free agent receiver won’t be coming to Detroit.