Could DeAndre Hopkins Sign With the Colts?
On Friday, what was supposed to be the “quiet” part of the offseason was awakened by breaking news. The Arizona Cardinals announced they were releasing former All-Pro WR DeAndre Hopkins.
The WR has been at the center of trade rumors all offseason. To the surprise of many, the Cardinals were not able to come to terms to trade the star WR, and now he will be free to sign wherever he pleases.
Many have already begun to speculate on which teams Hopkins could look to take his talents. At the front of the conversation, many are including logical contenders such as the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. On a recent podcast appearance on “I AM Athlete,” Hopkins answered Brandon Marshall’s question of which five quarterbacks he’d like to throw him the ball.
Would Hopkins Fit with the Colts?
The Indianapolis Colts' wide receiver room is crowded at the moment with Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, Isaiah McKenzie, and Ashton Dulin. But one could argue the room is missing a true veteran leader.
While Hopkins didn’t look to be in his prime at times last season, his injury could have played a large portion into that. Now, no draft picks will be required to land Hopkins's services. His salary is also now expected to be much less than his previous deal would have been.
While the Colts don't have one of the cream of the crop QBs around the league, such as Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, or Josh Allen, as a negotiation tactic, the next best thing is a highly drafted rookie QB. If the Colts are interested in acquiring Hopkins, they could lean on newly drafted Anthony Richardson’s potential and pitch Hopkins on playing the rest of his career with a QB who arguably has the highest upside in the NFL.
Can Hopkins Return to Dominance?
Hopkins is coming one of his two lowest receiving yard seasons in his career. A large part of that is due to missing time because of injuries and a suspension. His last full season, though, was in 2020, where he was able to put up 115 receptions for 1,407 yards and 6 touchdowns. Even in 2021, when Hopkins only appeared in ten games, he was able to catch eight touchdowns.
While Hopkins has had a few bumps in the road the past two seasons, there have been enough flashes of his skill to suggest the ability to get back to his 2020 level play. The team that lands him on the open market could be getting a high-level WR without paying high-level WR money. If a team trusts their medical staff, and offense to get the most out of Hopkins, signing the veteran WR should be of high priority to them.
The question now is, which team/teams does DeAndre Hopkins want to play for?
