DeAndre Hopkins To Miss Up To Six Weeks

AUGUST 3: Callahan provided some updates on Hopkins’ situation today. According to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com, Hopkins knee injury will not require surgery. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds that Callahan confirmed that Hopkins is out for “several weeks,” but with the absence of surgery, a return in only four weeks could be likely, though it’s not guaranteed. This encourages the optimism that Hopkins’ malady won’t keep him from any regular season appearances.

AUGUST 1: After a productive debut in Tennessee, DeAndre Hopkins looks set to see his preparation for his second season end early. The former All-Pro wide receiver is expected to miss several weeks with a knee injury.

Hopkins sustained a strained knee during practice this week, according to veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky, who indicates a four- to six-week absence is on tap. Week 1 will occur during this timeline, making Hopkins’ recovery one to monitor. ESPN.com’s Turron Davenport confirms the Titans are optimistic about Hopkins avoiding any missed games.

Although the Titans added Calvin Ridley on a big-ticket deal and signed former Brian Callahan Bengals charge Tyler Boyd, they are still counting on Hopkins to play a key role. The late-2010s first-team All-Pro staple produced his seventh 1,000-yard season with the Titans in 2023, continuing to make a solid Hall of Fame case. If this injury timetable is accurate, the accomplished wideout has a change to re-emerge just before Week 1.

This is not the first time Hopkins has run into knee trouble. An MCL tear knocked him out for an extended stretch during the Cardinals’ 2021 playoff season; Hopkins missed seven games that year and was unavailable for Arizona’s wild-card contest. He then missed the final two Cardinals games in 2022 due to a knee flareup.

Arizona, which hired a new regime headed by ex-Tennessee exec Monti Ossenfort soon after, released Hopkins months later. The former Texans star did rebound in his Titans debut, but his recent history of knee issues is suddenly relevant again. That said, Davenport adds this is a left knee injury; Hopkins sustained the MCL tear to his right knee. Hopkins continued to practice with a wrap on his left knee Wednesday, per Davenport, but it appears the Titans did not like what they saw and are shutting him down.

As the Titans’ top wideout last season, Hopkins bounced back by playing in all 17 games and totaling 1,057 yards — his first 1,000-yard year since 2020. Operating as a key part of Will Levis‘ development, Hopkins caught seven touchdown passes. The Titans paid up to add help via Ridley, and Boyd played under Callahan for five of his eight Bengals seasons. The Titans also have 2022 first-rounder Treylon Burks, who appears poised to see some run with the first unit while Hopkins recovers. This could represent a key opportunity for Burks, who has underwhelmed since Jon Robinson chose him minutes after the A.J. Brown trade.

The Titans have Hopkins on a two-year, $26MM deal; they outbid the Patriots and Chiefs for the veteran — after a much-discussed free agency derby — last summer. He earned a $4.1MM roster bonus by remaining a Titan on Day 5 of the 2024 league year.

Tennessee’s new coaching staff is heavily invested in Ridley, but Hopkins remains a key part of the franchise’s Levis development. Hopkins spoke earlier this month on an interest in signing a second Titans contract, expressing his satisfaction since joining the organization. His next step will be to return by the time the Titans are preparing to face the Bears in September.