October twenty third, 2024 at 9:59pm CST by Sam Robinson
9:59pm: Tennessee is about to pay $2.5MM of Hopkins’ remaining base wage, Rapoport tweets. It will cowl roughly half of Hopkins’ remaining whole. The $2.5MM will likely be paid out as a signing bonus, in accordance with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.
So far as situations go, the Chiefs might want to qualify for Tremendous Bowl LIX with Hopkins enjoying 60% of the snaps in the course of the common season for the decide to climb from a fifth- to a fourth-rounder.
7:15am: The large receiver market’s newest domino includes the two-time reigning Tremendous Bowl champions. Decimated on the place, the Chiefs are making their transfer. They’re anticipated to amass DeAndre Hopkins from the Titans, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter experiences.
Kansas Metropolis pursued Hopkins by way of commerce and made a free company provide — as soon as the Cardinals ended up chopping him — in 2023. The group will circle again to the adorned cross catcher, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reporting Kansas Metropolis is sending a conditional fifth-round decide to Tennessee for Hopkins. Ought to situations be met, Tennessee’s decide can rise to a fourth. A Tremendous Bowl look will possible issue into the situations, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets.
Cooper Kupp additionally got here up in the course of the Chiefs’ WR search, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, however monetary points impeded them concerning a take care of the Rams. The Chiefs, who sit within the backside quartile when it comes to cap area ($4.16MM getting into Wednesday), required a group who would tackle a departing participant’s wage to fill their receiver want. The Titans are anticipated to eat a few of Hopkins’ wage, Russini provides. It doesn’t seem the Rams are ready to eat a major chunk of Kupp’s 2024 base.
The Chiefs had been once more linked to Hopkins just lately, and it seems the Titans pays among the veteran’s prorated base wage to amass the Day 3 decide. A $4.86MM tab stays on Hopkins’ 2024 base on a two-year, $26MM deal — one which proved too wealthy for the Chiefs throughout their 2023 free company pursuit. Nonetheless finalizing the deal, the Chiefs are making ready to have Hopkins in uniform for his or her Week 8 Raiders matchup, Russini provides.
Hopkins, 32, has struggled to ascertain consistency this season. However that has been a problem throughout the Titans’ cross offense, as big-ticket free company pickup Calvin Ridley has additionally failed to supply a lot in the best way of consequence in a Tennessee passing assault that includes Will Levis and Mason Rudolph on the controls. Hopkins has 15 receptions for 173 yards and one landing this season.
Though the Chiefs did intensive work on Hopkins in 2023, Rapoport signifies this commerce didn’t acquire steam till early this week. The group was focusing on a participant who may assist inside and within the pink zone, NFL Community’s Peter Schrager experiences. A participant who thrived on contested catches at his peak, Hopkins isn’t at this Texans-era apex any longer. However he has 79 profession TDs and is coming off a 1,000-yard season.
Down each Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown for the season, the Chiefs had been reliant on gamers they reacquired. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman performed roles for the depleted WR cadre, however the former is now down with a hamstring damage. The Chiefs’ Xavier Worthy first-round decide has delivered flashes, however the Texas-developed speedster has not provided consistency but. Hopkins will stand to assist the group in that division, offering assist as a possession receiver to assist unencumber the likes of Worthy and Travis Kelce.
This transfer comes barely every week after the Jets and Payments made their WR strikes, with each Davante Adams and Amari Cooper heading to New York. Carrying a decrease ceiling at this level in his profession, Hopkins will change groups for a cheaper price. Having battled accidents since his second Cardinals season, the three-time first-team All-Professional missed a number of weeks with a knee illness this summer time. Hopkins, nonetheless, returned in time for Week 1 and has not missed a sport. Contemplating the Chiefs’ in-house damage issues, it’s clear they really feel assured their new piece can keep wholesome.
Hopkins loomed as an even bigger commerce piece in 2023, when numerous rumors emerged concerning the receiver amid a Cardinals regime change. The previous Texans star had loomed as a participant the Monti Ossenfort-led entrance workplace was set to maneuver on from, and the Chiefs got here up on Hopkins’ listing of most popular locations. The Chiefs mentioned Hopkins with the Cardinals, becoming a member of the Payments in that regard. However these talks broke down for wage causes. Hopkins, who had signed a $27.5MM-per-year extension with the Playing cards, grew to become unwilling to debate taking a pay lower to facilitate a commerce upon studying the Ravens gave Odell Beckham Jr. a totally assured $15MM. The Cardinals then lower him.
Whereas the Chiefs didn’t be a part of the Titans and Patriots in internet hosting Hopkins as a free agent final summer time, they made a proposal. The attract of enjoying with Patrick Mahomes didn’t supersede what was seen as a far superior Titans proposal, with Hopkins signing a two-year, $26MM take care of the then-Mike Vrabel-led Titans. Kansas Metropolis and New England are believed to have provided incentive-laden offers that got here in effectively in need of the place Tennessee did.
Hopkins joined a group then quarterbacked by Ryan Tannehill, however the Titans shortly geared their mission round Levis. Hopkins performed a central position in Levis’ rookie-year improvement, and regardless of the second-round decide struggling, his prime receiver cranked out a seventh 1,000-yard season. Hopkins totaled 1,057 yards final yr. This was off the tempo he had set in Houston and through his first Arizona season, however the four-contract participant — initially a 2013 Texans first-round decide — confirmed he may nonetheless contribute. Hopkins performed all 17 video games final season, representing an essential promoting level.
Benching Tannehill throughout what turned out to be Vrabel’s last season, the Titans heard from groups on Hopkins earlier than final yr’s deadline. They handed on transferring each he and Derrick Henry. After Henry walked in free company, the Titans once more acquired curiosity on their oldest large receiver. Hopkins had expressed a want to complete his profession in Tennessee, and the Titans weren’t believed to be buying him. However they may transfer on from the contract-year participant for a late-round decide.
The Rams are in search of a second-rounder for Kupp, who is just one yr youthful than Hopkins. Kupp, nonetheless, produced one of many biggest seasons in large receiver historical past in 2021 and has been extremely productive when wholesome since. The latter caveat, coupled with the next wage, will harm the Rams’ negotiating place. The Titans have Ridley on a four-year, $92MM deal; the 1-5 group will preserve constructing round across the current free company addition whereas saying goodbye to their 2023 free agent prize.
This marks the third straight yr the Chiefs have acquired a wideout by way of commerce in-season. Their Kadarius Toney swing in the end backfired, regardless of a Tremendous Bowl-record punt return, with the group chopping the shifty however unreliable ex-first-rounder in August. Hardman delivered the Tremendous Bowl LVIII walk-off landing and re-signed with the group. The Chiefs will possible proceed to contain Hardman of their offense, however the still-Kelce-centered passing assault will now closely function Hopkins alongside Worthy.