Three-time All-Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins has chosen his new NFL team. Per multiple reports, Hopkins has agreed to sign a deal with the Tennessee Titans after visiting with the club earlier this offseason. It will be a two-year, $26 million deal, worth up to $32 million with incentives, per NFL Media. The deal is expected to become finalized early in the coming week.
The Titans pulled out all the stops for the free agent wideout during their visit on June 11, even hosting him in a suite at Nissan Stadium for CMA Fest. Hopkins did visit with Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots as well, but ultimately lands in Music City.
Hopkins was released by the Arizona Cardinals in May after the team failed to find a trade partner for him. His contract with Arizona was one of the richest for any wide receiver, which certainly affected trade talks. Last year, Hopkins averaged 7.1 catches per game (fourth in NFL) and 79.7 receiving yards per game (10th in NFL) despite playing in just nine contests.
Hopkins has the eighth-most receiving yards through a player’s first 10 seasons in NFL history (11,298), and the fourth-most receptions (853). However, the 31-year-old has missed 15 out of 34 possible regular-season games over the past two years due to a hamstring injury, a torn MCL and a suspension.
As for why Hopkins chose the Titans, one could point to the familiarity he has with some members of the coaching staff. Hopkins and Mike Vrabel worked together for four seasons with the Houston Texans, when Vrabel was a defensive assistant.
“I had a lot of interaction with him,” Hopkins told the Titans’ official website about Vrabel back in 2018. “He’s one of those guys you could talk to off the field, not just about football, but personal stuff. Vrabel was good to me. It wasn’t just a football relationship with him, it was a personal relationship. Guys could relate to him.
“He’s a great guy. He’s not just a good coach, but he’s a good guy. He can relate to his players. The Titans are lucky to have him.”
Hopkins also worked with new Titans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, who served as a Texans offensive assistant for eight seasons, including three seasons as offensive coordinator from 2019-2021. In their one season together with Kelly as OC, Hopkins caught 104 passes for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns.
For the Titans, the Hopkins addition gives one of the worst wide receiving corps on paper a true alpha. Having Hopkins out wide helps Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry, the budding Treylon Burks and coach Kelly, of course. Tennessee’s scoring offense fell from No. 15 in the NFL to No. 28 last year, and the loss of wide receiver A.J. Brown certainly had something to do with that. In 2022, the Titans had what was statistically the third-worst offense in the league (296.8 yards of total offense per game), and the third-worst passing offense (171.4 passing yards per game).
It’s no secret the Titans have been hurt by chasing older wideouts (Randy Moss, Julio Jones, Robert Woods), but Hopkins can still be a true No. 1 wide receiver. After causing so much trouble for Tennessee’s defense over the course of his career, the Titans are hoping Hopkins can do the same for them.
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Author: Jordan Dajani
July 16, 2023 | 2:57 pm
