DeAndre Hopkins Could Be Exactly What Ravens Need

At 32 years old, new Baltimore Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins may not be in his athletic prime anymore, but what made him one of the best of his era is still there.

By his own admission, speed has never been Hopkins' greatest asset. Rather, it's his ability to get open and make contested catches, and he's still going strong in those departments.

Hopkins is noticeably bigger than the Ravens' top two receivers in Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, so he could bring a different dimension to the offense that was lacking previously. In fact, he could play a similar role to another receiver who joined the Ravens later in his career.

DeAndre Hopkins against the Houston Texans — Dec 21, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (8) runs against Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

"Hopkins could have an Anquan Boldin-like impact," wrote Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com. "When Joe Flacco needed a crunch-time play, he often leaned on Boldin. Hopkins won't be the Ravens' leading receiver like Boldin was as a Raven, but D-Hop could be a similar outlet for Lamar Jackson by making physical, contested, and clutch catches.

"Think of the plays Boldin made during the 2012 Super Bowl run. The Ravens have had a plenty-talented-enough team to win it all in recent years. It came down to making a couple plays to get over the hump. Hopkins feels like the kind of player that could do it."

Boldin was in his age-32 season when the Ravens made that magical run to Super Bowl XLVII, but he was still playing like he was in his prime. He had 22 receptions for 380 yards and four touchdowns that postseason, leading the league in all three categories.

Boldin had a somewhat similar skillset to Hopkins, not being the fastest receiver but having excellent ball skills. If Hopkins performs like Boldin did throughout his three years in Baltimore, the Ravens will be more than pleased with that.

"The Ravens have taken many shots on 30+-year-old veteran wide receivers with mixed results. Hopkins has a better shot at hitting than most," Mink wrote.

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