9:59pm: Tennessee is set to pay $2.5MM of Hopkins’ remaining base salary, Rapoport tweets. This will cover roughly half of Hopkins’ remaining total. The $2.5MM will be paid out as a signing bonus, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.
As far as conditions go, the Chiefs will need to qualify for Super Bowl LIX with Hopkins playing 60% of the snaps during the regular season for the pick to climb from a fifth- to a fourth-rounder.
7:15am: The wide receiver market’s latest domino involves the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions. Decimated at the position, the Chiefs are making their move. They are expected to acquire DeAndre Hopkins from the Titans, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports.
Kansas City pursued Hopkins via trade and made a free agency offer — once the Cardinals ended up cutting him — in 2023. The team will circle back to the decorated pass catcher, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reporting Kansas City is sending a conditional fifth-round pick to Tennessee for Hopkins. Should conditions be met, Tennessee’s pick can rise to a fourth. A Super Bowl appearance will likely factor into the conditions, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets.
Cooper Kupp also came up during the Chiefs’ WR search, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, but financial issues impeded them regarding a deal with the Rams. The Chiefs, who sit in the bottom quartile in terms of cap space ($4.16MM entering Wednesday), required a team who would take on a departing player’s salary to fill their receiver need. The Titans are expected to eat some of Hopkins’ salary, Russini adds. It does not appear the Rams are prepared to eat a significant chunk of Kupp’s 2024 base.
The Chiefs were again connected to Hopkins recently, and it appears the Titans will pay some of the veteran’s prorated base salary to acquire the Day 3 pick. A $4.86MM tab remains on Hopkins’ 2024 base on a two-year, $26MM deal — one that proved too rich for the Chiefs during their 2023 free agency pursuit. Still finalizing the deal, the Chiefs are preparing to have Hopkins in uniform for their Week 8 Raiders matchup, Russini adds.
Hopkins, 32, has struggled to establish consistency this season. But that has been an issue across the Titans’ pass offense, as big-ticket free agency pickup Calvin Ridley has also failed to produce much in the way of consequence in a Tennessee passing attack featuring Will Levis and Mason Rudolph at the controls. Hopkins has 15 receptions for 173 yards and one touchdown this season.
Although the Chiefs did extensive work on Hopkins in 2023, Rapoport indicates this trade did not gain steam until early this week. The team was targeting a player who could help inside and in the red zone, NFL Network’s Peter Schrager reports. A player who thrived on contested catches at his peak, Hopkins is not at this Texans-era apex any longer. But he has 79 career TDs and is coming off a 1,000-yard season.
Down both Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown for the season, the Chiefs had been reliant on players they reacquired. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman played roles for the depleted WR cadre, but the former is now down with a hamstring injury. The Chiefs’ Xavier Worthy first-round pick has delivered flashes, but the Texas-developed speedster has not offered consistency yet. Hopkins will stand to help the team in that department, providing help as a possession receiver to help free up the likes of Worthy and Travis Kelce.
This move comes barely a week after the Jets and Bills made their WR strikes, with both Davante Adams and Amari Cooper heading to New York. Carrying a lower ceiling at this point in his career, Hopkins will change teams for a lower price. Having battled injuries since his second Cardinals season, the three-time first-team All-Pro missed several weeks with a knee malady this summer. Hopkins, however, returned in time for Week 1 and has not missed a game. Considering the Chiefs’ in-house injury problems, it is clear they feel confident their new piece can stay healthy.
Hopkins loomed as a bigger trade piece in 2023, when countless rumors emerged about the receiver amid a Cardinals regime change. The former Texans star had loomed as a player the Monti Ossenfort-led front office was set to move on from, and the Chiefs came up on Hopkins’ list of preferred destinations. The Chiefs discussed Hopkins with the Cardinals, joining the Bills in that regard. But those talks broke down for salary reasons. Hopkins, who had signed a $27.5MM-per-year extension with the Cards, became unwilling to discuss taking a pay cut to facilitate a trade upon learning the Ravens gave Odell Beckham Jr. a fully guaranteed $15MM. The Cardinals then cut him.
While the Chiefs did not join the Titans and Patriots in hosting Hopkins as a free agent last summer, they made an offer. The allure of playing with Patrick Mahomes did not supersede what was viewed as a far superior Titans proposal, with Hopkins signing a two-year, $26MM deal with the then-Mike Vrabel-led Titans. Kansas City and New England are believed to have offered incentive-laden deals that came in well short of where Tennessee did.
Hopkins joined a team then quarterbacked by Ryan Tannehill, but the Titans quickly geared their mission around Levis. Hopkins played a central role in Levis’ rookie-year development, and despite the second-round pick struggling, his top receiver cranked out a seventh 1,000-yard season. Hopkins totaled 1,057 yards last year. This was off the pace he had set in Houston and during his first Arizona season, but the four-contract player — initially a 2013 Texans first-round pick — showed he could still contribute. Hopkins played all 17 games last season, representing an important selling point.
Benching Tannehill during what turned out to be Vrabel’s final season, the Titans heard from teams on Hopkins before last year’s deadline. They passed on moving both he and Derrick Henry. After Henry walked in free agency, the Titans again received interest on their oldest wide receiver. Hopkins had expressed a desire to finish his career in Tennessee, and the Titans were not believed to be shopping him. But they will move on from the contract-year player for a late-round pick.
The Rams are seeking a second-rounder for Kupp, who is only one year younger than Hopkins. Kupp, however, produced one of the greatest seasons in wide receiver history in 2021 and has been highly productive when healthy since. The latter caveat, coupled with a higher salary, will hurt the Rams’ negotiating position. The Titans have Ridley on a four-year, $92MM deal; the 1-5 team will keep building around around the recent free agency addition while saying goodbye to their 2023 free agent prize.
This marks the third straight year the Chiefs have acquired a wideout via trade in-season. Their Kadarius Toney swing ultimately backfired, despite a Super Bowl-record punt return, with the team cutting the shifty but unreliable ex-first-rounder in August. Hardman delivered the Super Bowl LVIII walk-off touchdown and re-signed with the team. The Chiefs will likely continue to involve Hardman in their offense, but the still-Kelce-centered passing attack will now heavily feature Hopkins alongside Worthy.
Does Hopkins have anything left? He’s been Missing in Action in Tennessee this year, admittedly with poor quarterback play, but still…
Watch the difference a great QB makes for this guy. He’s never had one.
Well that’s false. People seem to forget Watson was once talked about amongst Jackson Allen Mahomes level prior to his gross behavior and suspension in Houston
4 years in Houston Watson had 68%, 15,000 yards, 104 TDs, 36 ints made 3 straight pro bowls and led the league in passing yards in 2020. Also added 1700 yards rushing and 17 TDs in those 4 years.
Hopkins has had elite QB play before back in 2018 and 2019. Watson tore his acl his rookie year I believe back in 2017.
While that’s true, I should’ve said not Mahomes level and not on as complete a team or for as great a coach.
That’s fair
He’s never had a coach as good as Andy Reid
1000 yards last year with Tannehill and Levis, as long as he is on the field he should have some gas left in the tank. I would be ok with him getting 700 yards for the Chiefs.
Since KC’s pick they’re trading will undoubtedly be near the end of round, I’m a little surprised the Titans agreed to letting them make it a conditional selection. If the conditions aren’t met, that’s a really late 5th. Just seems like Tennessee might have been able to fetch a slightly stronger deal elsewhere.
Teams have a compulsive need to help contenders that I do not quite understand.
It’s worse in baseball and basketball when players just get released or waived and join a contender while their original team that year gets nothing.
Fair point, fair point.
You think the Titans care at all about who they are “helping?” They are unloading a player that is unrestricted at the end of the year, saving some cash by not paying him and getting a 4th/5th round pick.
Of course Hopkins is going to go to a contender. It’s the trade deadline and the contenders are looking to add players to help them win.
Do you think the Titans should have tried to trade Hopkins to the Patriots?
You’d think New Orleans and Tampa could have upped that offer.
In addition to New Orleans and Tampa Bay, not hard to imagine Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Washington possibly having some interest as well. Tennessee made a bad trade here, I think. Not franchise crushing, but still bad.
Considering that Hopkins fetched Tennessee less than Ernest Jones did, and considering that your favored team is a perennial Super Bowl contender…yes, I do think that the Titans “helped” a contender, and I never said that the Titans did or didn’t care that they helped them.
I said that teams seem to have a need to do so, and I that I don’t understand why a team would give a potential rival (especially in the same conference) a good asset for a less than optimal price. Seems pretty obvious to me; I don’t understand why you are so triggered by it. Teams should consider who they’re helping, whether they’re trading a player down in a hole or the sludge factory.
Tennessee wishes they were a rival of Kansas City. My point is that they didn’t help a contender as much as they helped themselves. I would think that they don’t care about who said player goes to, as much as they are concerned with unloading the salary while also picking up a draft pick.
And I LOVE the AIC song references in your comment. Thanks for that!
Hey man, I’m just glad you get it. Some don’t follow.
A back end 5th *and* they’re picking up some of his salary. Make it make sense. Titans just giving him away.
@AK- I never understood teams “helping” others like this either. My main example is the Patriots for better than a decade. Without going to deep into it (though I’m sure some will, just to refute my opinion..), everyone seemed to dislike them, especially because they won it all or were right there nearly EVERY YEAR. Yet GM’s were more than willing to send them a missing piece to ensure they’d continue to be in the hunt.
And in this case, Tennessee eats half Hopkins salary and accepts a low round draft pick (almost certain to be 1 of the last 3 or 4 of said round) in return.
I just don’t get the motivation behind it.
Tennessee’s motivation is to get better in the future. They know Hopkins will not help them this year so getting what they can is the plan. I think they were hoping for more but couldn’t get it. If they could they would be sending him there. Titans prob don’t care at all who wins the superbowl this year since it won’t be them.
I just don’t think the got a better offer at all. If a report comes out that team x was willing to give up a 3 or 4 for him and they passed. Then it will look like they were favoring KC. Until then I will assume this was the best offer.
And they expect a late 4th or 5th to help with that? I mean, the odds aren’t there. And they STILL ate half his remaining salary to make the deal happen.
Also, to clarify, this isn’t a “I believe another team would/did make a better offer” scenario. This is a “I don’t believe eating half his remaining salary for a lottery ticket, while helping the 2 time defending Champs push for a third consecutive title is all that helpful” kind of thing.
Seems like a good move by KC to me.
It’s hard to evaluate his production this year with Levis and Rudolph at QB.
I’d wager he has plenty left in the tank. He had 75 catches last year and 7 TDs. Calvin Ridley had 76 catches last year and 8 TDs. Hopkins has 15 catches and one TD this year and Ridley has 12 catches and one TD. imo, the common denominator is Levis/Rudolph. Neither are good QBs who can throw the ball downfield. The question now is where Ridley ends up.
It’s a combination of reasons- Inconsistent QB play for sure- But also in Ridley’s case, he’s dropped a lot of balls and has overall been a major disappointment. Especially for the huge contract he received.
Well, it was only a matter of time, really.
It’s not quite accurate to say “both Davante Adams and Amari Cooper heading to New York.”. You can say Adams is headed to NY if you mean the Jets, but the two players are not both headed to teams that play in the state of New York.
Yes I’m being picky.
Last time I checked, Buffalo was in the state of New York.
Jets play in New Jersey
His comment was worded in a very confusing way, but I think that he is protesting that the Jets are consider by being in New York. I think that he meant that “NY” is a better stand-in for the Jets than the “state of New York” would be. I was confused, too, but I think that that’s what he meant.
If you were really being picky, you would say that Cooper is headed to NY and Adams is headed to NJ.
Andy Reid: “Apparently some writer at PFR said we lacked style points…so this is how we plan to fix that”.
If I were a Chiefs fan – Id feel meh.
Id rather have Slayton.
Hopkins isn’t it.
Hopkins is waaaaay better than Slayton and I say this as a Giants fan. Hopkins had 75 catches, 1,057 yards, and 7 TDs just last year. Slayton set career highs with 50 catches and 770 yards last year and hasn’t had more than 4 TD catches in five years. Plus Slayton has a serious propensity for dropped passes. Hopkins is a potential difference maker. Slayton is a #2 at absolute best, more likely a #3 option even on the Chiefs.
You meant “was”
No, I mean is. His stats last year were a mile ahead of Slayton’s career best numbers. Note that both Hopkins *and* Ridley’s numbers are way down this year. Nobody on the team has more than 18 catches. Tennessee’s passing offense is literally the worst in the league by yards. If Hopkins had even Daniel Jones throwing it to him, his numbers would be better than Slayton’s.
Well, I guess we disagree.
I say Hopkins skills wont age well.
And Slayton will never reach Hopkins peak – those days are long gone. He is already 32.
But Slayton has had flashes with poor QBs. I think there could be more there.
There is a very substantial drop off for WRs at that age. Save Jerry Rice crazy age 38? year.
How old is Slayton? And you could have had him for the same (probably lower) price?
Ill take Slayton.
You just acquired Cooper who leads the league in dropped passes and they both caught the same number of passes last season. Did you say the same thing about Cooper that you’re saying about Hopkins?
Thats not the same argument – but no. You cherry pick one stat and act like its apples to apples.
I said prior to the Cooper trade I didn’t want Hopkins.
And Cooper is two years younger. While Hopkins has better hands, Cooper is a better route runner and downfield threat.
Ill live with the drops if he gets open consistently. Which is what the Bills did not have.
I posted here I wanted Slayton over Hopkins as well.
Im sorry a 32 yr old receiver with declining skills didn’t move the needle at all for me, and that same logic applies to me if I was a Chiefs fan.
Look at receivers production past age 32. Historically – its a harsh drop with very few exceptions.
Not every move your team does works out.
Oh okay I see, your a Bills fan. Hey everyone in BUF thinks they are the Chiefs rivals, but lets be honest the Bills are no where close to the same level as KC. Can’t wait to beat you guys in the playoffs again lol.
Riiiiight.
How are Hopkins skills declining and Cooper’s skills aren’t? They both had the same number of receptions last season and they’re both off to poor starts. You want to compare last year Cooper to this year Hopkins. It doesn’t work like that. From now to the end of the season, Hopkins will catch more passes for more yards than Cooper
Ok.
You don’t want to look things up yourself, I guess.
Hopkins – age 32.
Cooper – age 30.
Which receiver do you think is showing signs of decline more?
You listed the ages. What does that mean? I’m giving you numbers. Both caught 75 passes last year and both are off to slow starts. Hopkins is (was) dealing with a quarterback that couldn’t get him the ball and Cooper is dealing with dropped passes. Don’t know how either is showing signs of age. Like I said, Hopkins will catch more passes going forward than Cooper will. After all, that’s what matters, not how old you are. A lot of people thought Joe Mixon and Derrick Henry were showing signs of age too.
You are right.
Receivers are better the older they get.
There isn’t any data to back that up at all.
Pure speculation.
Sorry. I stand corrected.
There’s been lots of receivers that played well in their 30’s and some that lost it in their 20’s. According to you, you’d rather have Watson as your quarterback than Cousins, you know, since he’s younger and won’t decline. Hopkins and Cooper have about the same value
Yeah that’s exactly the point.
Nice job! You really nailed reading comprehension in grade school, Im sure of it!
Your misdirection skills are legendary too! I mean total apples to apples comparison you created! There that is a complete straight line!
Amazing debate skills my friend! You get to not directly address your opinion, while throwing a red herring while still feeling smug!
You’re the guy that said Cooper is better. Cooper may, or may not, have more years left but we’re talking right now since both players are on expiring contracts. I’m guessing if the Bills acquired Hopkins and the Chiefs acquired Cooper, your argument would switch. Bills players in a weak division and will have trouble getting by the 1st round. It really doesn’t matter
@Bills1: Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trashing Slayton. He’s a quality WR. And yes, he’s shown flashes despite poor QBs. But while D-Hop is a few years older, he’s still got something in the tank. If this were a long term deal (like 2+ years) I might take Slayton. But if you are asking me who would help the Chiefs more this year, it’s hands down Hopkins.
As a life long Chiefs fan I am happy to report that I am F#*&in@ thrilled to have D-Hop on the squad. The man has arguably the greatest hands in football. Yes he is a little older now, but catching a ball is a skill that ages well imo.
Slayton? He is okay, but I am way happier today with D-Hop. I would have smashed my coffee cup against the wall if I would have woke up today and seen Slayton as are ‘big’ acquisition.
Chiefs starting 3 wide receivers hurt, and they make JuJu look like a pro bowler in their system, this is a great moves by the Chiefs and I think most football people know it, they may not like it…….and they got him for a steal, Hunt looks amazing again running the ball, defense outstanding, so if this helps the passing game at all it’s a good deal….look out for the Chiefs, they seem to know exactly what their doing
JuJu does not look like a pro bowler, at all
This is a great trade for the Chiefs if D-Hop has anything left and Mahommes will make him look like an All Pro again. This should take the pressure off of Kelce and make other teams have to scheme for Hopkins. Now if he can just stay healthy enough to a degree he could really help in getting the offense back on track. Tennessee is paying for him to play with someone else in their own conference which to me is a big red flag but the Titans must have their reasons because what they get back is minimal and paying 2.5 million to boot has to make you wonder.
The Chiefs have very little risk even with the conditions of the trade.
Poor DeAndre goes from Levis to the QB with the most interceptions in the NFL. Is there no justice?
Nice of the 49ers to sit this one out too. It’s not like their top 3 WRs are injured or something… Wait! What?