3 Reasons Why DeAndre Hopkins Would Sign with the Titans
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans have a major need at wide receiver and it is no secret. Now that Deandre Hopkins has hit the open market, it would be smart for the Titans to take a look at bringing him in. Even if the Titans aren't the flashiest option, they could make some sense for three reasons.
The Houston Connection
Titans head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly both spent time with Hopkins during their time with the Houston Texans. Vrabel was a coach with the Texans from 2014-2017 and Kelly from 2014-2021. Hopkins played the majority of his career in Houston and should know both of them well.
At this time, there is no clear way to know what kind of relationship Hopkins had with either coach, but if the relationship was positive, it could be a huge development. Hopkins would have a coach on both sides of the ball he is confident in.
Also, Hopkins recently laid out his criteria for a new team on the "I AM ATHLETE" podcast and one of the requirements was stable management. While the Titans have a new general manager in Ran Carthon, Mike Vrabel is clearly the man in charge and the leader of the organization on the football side. Vrabel could check that box even with a new general manager.
Offensive Opportunity
The Tennessee Titans attempted 456 passes in 2022. 170 of those passes went to players who are no longer on the Titans' roster. 151 of those targets went to Robert Woods and Austin Hooper. If Hopkins were to join the Titans, he could have as many of those as he likes.
Yes, if we see Treylon Burks and Kyle Philips stay healthy, they will certainly see more targets than 2022. Also, the emergence of tight end Chig Okonkwo figures to eat into those available targets as well, but we are talking about 170.
Hopkins has gone over 170 targets in a season only twice in his career. Now he is entering the end phase of that career so even if the Titans only target him say, 100-120 times, it will still be enough to satiate the hunger. The Titans obviously don't have anyone on the depth chart at receiver to truly contend with other than Burks, so Hopkins would eat on the Titans more than he could on some other teams.
Defensive Capability
Hopkins said on the podcast appearance referenced earlier that "defense wins championships" and listed a strong defense as one of his requirements. The Titans may have allowed the most passing yards in the NFL in 2022, but anyone paying attention knows this is a talented defense. Is Hopkins paying that close of attention?
Jeffery Simmons lead a talented front with a returning Harold Landry and the ever-productive Denico Autry. With the pass rush getting some reinforcements and the secondary adding some pieces(players and coaches), the Titans could argue they have one of the best defenses in the league. Again, it all comes down the Hopkins' view of it.
At the end of the day, the Titans may not end up being one of the realistic options for Hopkins. You could twist your view of the Titans any which way, but if Hopkins is paying close attention, he may see some of the positives here and decide to spend the 2023 season in Nashville.
Titans Related Stories
- Molden to Safety: The Tennessee Titans have bigger issues on the roster, but one position that has been under-discussed is safety. Based on today's practice, it could be third-year corner Elijah Molden who fills the depth need. CLICK HERE
- Titans OTAs Storylines: The Tennessee Titans started their first week of organized team activities this week and some things stood out more than others. Here are the three biggest storylines from Tuesday's practice. CLICK HERE
- Not Panic Time for Byard: The Tennessee Titans kicked off offseason practices for the whole team this weekend and while many of the top players are in attendance, star safety Kevin Byard was not. CLICK HERE
