Getty Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins warms up prior to the game at State Farm Stadium on October 20, 2022.
The Philadelphia Eagles are in the market for a new starting slot wide receiver, and five-time Pro Bowler DeAndre Hopkins continues to get thrown into the conversation casually as a potential fit.
Hopkins, who is looking for $15 million per year, remains unsigned in free agency after getting cut by the Arizona Cardinals. The Eagles flirted with trading for the 31-year-old playmaker in 2020 but the offer wasn’t right. Fast forward to 2023 and Hopkins is openly pleading his case to join a loaded roster with Super Bowl aspirations.
Hopkins wrote on Twitter: “Whoever’s in my future wide receiver group. I promise I will make your job easy.”
His “future wide receiver group” in Philadelphia would include two-time Pro Bowler A.J. Brown and rising star DeVonta Smith, along with stud tight end Dallas Goedert. Quez Watkins and Olamide Zaccheaus are competing for the starting job in the slot heading into training camp. Hopkins would be a luxury item for the Eagles, perhaps a bit too rich for their blood considering the talented names already headlining the depth chart.
Then again, Hopkins would be an intriguing option as the team’s new Z receiver. He could line up opposite Brown and Smith could move into the slot. Which would be a match-up nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators. The former first-round pick has 853 receptions for 11,298 yards and 71 touchdowns over 10 NFL seasons.
Patriots, Titans Emerge as Finalists for All-Pro WR
The Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots have emerged as the finalists to sign Hopkins in free agency. Both franchises hosted the three-time All-Pro on recruiting visits in recent days, although he left each facility without signing a contract. The Patriots and Hopkins continue to have “mutual interest,” while the Titans reportedly made a “financial offer.” The situation remains fluid.
There’s ‘optimism’ that DeAndre Hopkins and the Patriots can reach an agreement on a deal
(per @jeffphowe)
Meanwhile, don’t count out the Kansas City Chiefs from entering the Hopkins’ sweepstakes. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer told NBC Sports Boston’s “Sports Sunday” that Hopkins may wait until late July to make a decision to give the Chiefs more time to clear up salary-cap space.
“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, via NBC Sports Boston. “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.”
The Buffalo Bills have also been mentioned as a dark-horse candidate to sign Hopkins.
@DeAndreHopkins Come to KC for real. Chiefs SB Champions 🏆♥️💛♥️💛🏈🏈
Nick Sirianni Debunks Addresses Eagles Rumors
Head coach Nick Sirianni attempted to squash the rumors linking Hopkins to the Eagles back on June 8 by giving his current stable of receivers a vote of confidence: “I’m really pleased with the group that we have.” Then, perhaps hedging his bets against a Howie Roseman power move, Sirianni added an important disclaimer: “You never know what’s going to happen, but I really like our room, and I’m really pleased with that room.”