NFL wide receivers are making moves as the trade deadline approaches, with Tennessee Titans’ DeAndre Hopkins now on the radar.
Sources informed NFL insider Ian Rapoport that a trade is being finalized between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tennessee Titans on Wednesday morning, which will see Hopkins head to the AFC West. The proposed compensation for the deal is a fifth-round pick that could convert into a fourth-round selection.
As reported by Rapoport, the Titans plan to absorb a portion of Hopkins’ remaining salary.
This move is advantageous for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense, especially amidst a wave of injuries affecting their wide receiver lineup. Marquise Brown has been placed on Injured Reserve since September following shoulder surgery.
Rashee Rice was also put on Injured Reserve in early October after a knee injury suffered during a collision with Mahomes. Additionally, JuJu Smith-Schuster exited last weekend’s matchup against the 49ers due to a hamstring issue and will be sidelined this week against the Raiders.
Hopkins is not the only prominent receiver to shift teams through trade recently; the Raiders dealt Davante Adams to the Jets, while the Browns sent Amari Cooper to the Bills.
Drafted in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, Hopkins began his professional journey with the Houston Texans. Initially intended to support Andre Johnson, he ultimately emerged as the primary target starting in 2014.
During his seven-year tenure with the Texans, Hopkins amassed 8,602 receiving yards along with 54 touchdowns, exceeding 1,100 receiving yards on five occasions and surpassing 1,500 yards twice.
His time in Houston concluded in 2020 when he was traded to the Arizona Cardinals. During his first year in Arizona, he exceeded 1,400 receiving yards, but he struggled to surpass 750 yards in both 2021 and 2022, playing in just 19 games due to injury issues and a six-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy.
The Cardinals released Hopkins after the 2022 season, and he returned to the AFC South by signing with the Titans. He managed to surpass 1,000 receiving yards again while playing a full season, but this year he has accumulated only 173 yards as the team grapples with quarterback inconsistency.
