Determining Factors for the Kansas City Chiefs' Pursuit of DeAndre Hopkins
On Friday afternoon, the world got the news that the Arizona Cardinals planned to release five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins — a transaction that has since been processed and made official. With his release, Hopkins is now free to sign with any team.
The Kansas City Chiefs were heavily rumored to be involved in the Hopkins sweepstakes when it looked like he would get traded earlier in the offseason. That connection has continued now that he is available to be signed off the street. Adding Hopkins to what is already the best offense in the NFL would be scary for the rest of the league, but does it make sense from an overarching viewpoint?
Dec 18, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Hopkins would instantly become the Chiefs' best wide receiver, as he is still a borderline top-10 receiver in the NFL. His presence playing with Travis Kelce would immediately strike fear into opposing defenses. That combination would give Patrick Mahomes two guys he can trust in any situation and in high-leverage moments. Though the Chiefs won the Super Bowl last year with a lesser receiving core, there were struggles with consistency from that group until the season's final game. Getting Hopkins would provide a consistent threat on the outside while the rest of the young group comes along and grows at their own rate.
The young wide receiver group is why the Chiefs may have some hold-up bringing in Hopkins. In the last two offseasons, the Chiefs have added Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney and Rashee Rice to the roster via either trade or the second round of the NFL Draft. Those are three players the Chiefs have invested significant capital in and believe are part of their future. They may want to see what the three can do with a more significant opportunity without being blocked by a former All-Pro for snaps. Kansas City has raved about Toney's potential and continues to praise Moore throughout the offseason. Getting them on the field may be the best development plan in the team's eyes.
On top of the young guys, Kansas City has veterans like Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Justin Watson who are locked into the roster. Between the vets and the younger receivers, the numbers game becomes tough if the Chiefs want to keep a fringe guy around who could be poached by another team. Take Justyn Ross, for example. He possesses all the talent in the world, but injuries have been his issue. If the Chiefs believe he can stay healthy, his ceiling keeps him around as a project. However, adding Hopkins makes that very difficult because the team would need to cut numbers at another position in order to make it happen.
Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Skyy Moore (24) runs the ball in for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
The major hurdle for the Chiefs would be the contract situation. Hopkins was released in the first place because teams didn't want to take on the money necessary in a trade. With the meat of the offseason behind us, teams don't even have the cap space to give Hopkins the free agent contract he may desire. As things currently stand, the Chiefs are one of those teams. Kansas City would likely have to extend Chris Jones, a process that could take some time, to clear enough room to bring Hopkins into the fold. The other method would be to make a contract with void years, but the Chiefs have historically refrained from doing that when at all possible.
In the end, it will come down to money as the factor of whether the Chiefs are in the Hopkins sweepstakes. Kansas City provides the best quarterback, a winning culture and the opportunity to rack up statistics to cash in one last time. If Hopkins is willing to take less to be in Kansas City, the fit is seamless and would only make the Chiefs' offense more dangerous. However, Hopkins is not a need for the Chiefs. They are the best team in the league without him, which won't change no matter where he goes. The scenario where Hopkins signs with another contender on a cheap deal may hurt the Chiefs in the short term but it may also speak to the belief Kansas City has in its young core of receivers, which is a positive sign for the future.
