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The New York Jets aggressively pursued veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr in free agency in 2023 and came up short.
OBJ instead joined the Baltimore Ravens on a one-year deal with a maximum value of $18 million. Jets analyst Joe Caporoso urged the team on social media to pivot to another potentially available weapon.
Caporoso was explaining his quick thoughts on OBJ landing in Baltimore and suggested Arizona Cardinals wideout DeAndre Hopkins as a “potential trade target.”
Trade Price Revealed for DeAndre Hopkins
Dov Kleiman said on Twitter that the “next receiver domino to fall” is Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated said earlier this offseason that the Cardinals were seeking a “second-round pick and another asset.” However, that price has changed.
“Based on indications I’ve gotten, that sort of return simply isn’t coming,” Breer explained in an article posted on March 22. “I do think he’ll bring back more than Brandin Cooks did for the Texans—Houston got a 2023 fifth-rounder and ’24 sixth-rounder for him from the Cowboys—but it’ll probably be closer to that than what Arizona is looking for.”
Why would a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro only fetch that sort of return?
Breer said there are several contributing factors.
Hopkins is 30 years of age and he will turn 31 before the start of the 2023 season. He has missed 15 games over the last two seasons. Breer said he doesn’t really “practice during the week” which could rub some teams the wrong way.
In addition to all of that the former Clemson product also has two years left on his $54 million contract. Hopkins is owed over $34 million over the next two seasons in base salary.
Breer noted that because of those factors “the market is limited.”
DeAndre Hopkins Is Worth the Risk for the Jets
While there are a lot of variables to consider, D-Hop is a risk worth taking.
During his 10 years in the league the 6-foot-1, 212-pound playmaker has always delivered. Hopkins has caught 853 receptions for 11,298 receiving yards and hauled 71 touchdowns.
The Jets were more in on OBJ than anyone else seems to realize. Rich Cimini of ESPN said as much, “make no mistake, they wanted him a lot.”
If the Jets were that in on OBJ, then they are going to pivot to a brand new option at wide receiver.
Hopkins wouldn’t be a bad place to turn.
Michael Nania of Jets X-Factor provided some additional insight with some analytical numbers:
“In 2022, Hopkins averaged 7.1 receptions per game (4th among WR) and 79.7 yards per game (10th) despite playing much of the season with a backup quarterback.”
In 2023 he has a chance to potentially catch passes from future Pro Football Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. He is currently still a member of the Green Bay Packers, but rumors have been bubbling for weeks that he will ultimately end up with the Jets in New York.
That could prove to be a lethal combination, especially considering the presence of Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson on the other side of the formation.
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