NFL Teams That Would Become Instant Playoff Contenders by Signing DeAndre Hopkins
In 2022, NFL wide receivers cashed in on a lucrative market, and teams made aggressive moves to acquire top-tier talent at the position.
The Miami Dolphins traded for Tyreek Hill, and the Philadelphia Eagles acquired A.J. Brown. They significantly elevated their respective team's passing offense in a playoff year. DeAndre Hopkins could do the same for his new club.
On May 26, the rebuilding Arizona Cardinals released Hopkins, and he would like to stir up more interest before making a decision on his next destination, per ESPN's Dianna Russini.
Unlike Hill and Brown, Hopkins is slightly past his prime. Going into his age-31 term, he's three years removed from a Pro Bowl year. Over the last two seasons, he has missed 15 contests because of injuries and a six-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy, which factored into the decline in his production.
Nonetheless, the Clemson product ranked 10th in receiving yards per game (79.7) last season. When available and healthy, he's still a go-to wideout.
Like his short time in Arizona with Kyler Murray, Hopkins can become a young quarterback's most reliable perimeter playmaker for an upstart squad.
Here are five teams that would immediately enter the playoff discussion with him on the roster. None of these clubs clinched a 2022 postseason berth and will likely start a young signal-caller in 2023.
Atlanta Falcons
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Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith expects Desmond Ridder to "take the next step" in development. To help him, the front office has bolstered the young signal-caller's supporting cast.
The Falcons signed wideout Mack Hollins, who recorded career highs in catches and receiving yards with the Las Vegas Raiders last year. They also selected running back Bijan Robinson and offensive lineman Matthew Bergeron in the first two rounds of the 2023 draft.
The Falcons can make a bigger splash before training camp with the addition of Hopkins. With wideout London Drake (6'4", 213 lbs) and Kyle Pitts (6'6", 246 lbs) in the fold, Atlanta would have an unstoppable trio of pass-catchers in the red zone. Moreover, they can use their size advantage all over the field.
In four career starts, Ridder, 23, has completed 63.5 percent of his passes, and he could reach about 70 percent with Hopkins, who's registered a catch rate of at least 65.6 percent in the previous five campaigns.
Atlanta may field a solid passing attack with Drake, Pitts and a sprinkle of Robinson, though Hopkins can put the aerial attack over the top. In a wide-open NFC South division, a team with a high-level passing offense could run away with the division.
Carolina Panthers
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Don't count out the Carolina Panthers in an unpredictable NFC South division.
In 2022, they finished one game behind the division-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9) with quarterback Sam Darnold throwing for seven touchdowns and three interceptions with a 58.6 percent completion rate in the final six games of the season.
A month after the Panthers selected Bryce Young as the No. 1 overall pick, they started to ease him into the lead position. He took first-team reps during spring practices.
This offseason, the Panthers have created a quarterback-friendly situation for the 21-year-old.
Carolina hired Jim Caldwell, a former quarterbacks coach, passing game coordinator and lead skipper, and retired 17-year NFL quarterback Josh McCown to coach the position.
On top of that, the club signed wideouts Adam Thielen, DJ Chark Jr. and tight end Hayden Hurst. According to ESPN's David Newton, running back Miles Sanders could see an expanded role in the short passing game.
Hopkins and Thielen would be a quality veteran duo for Young's development. The rookie signal-caller completed 65.8 percent of his passes in three years at Alabama. He should be able to move the ball with two sure-handed wideouts on the outside, which may result in a playoff run.
Chicago Bears
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The Chicago Bears used premium resources to acquire talent for an offense that ranked 23rd in scoring, 28th in total yards and last in passing yards for the 2022 term, but they can do a little more with about $32 million in cap space.
Going into a crucial third year, Justin Fields will have a new lead wide receiver in DJ Moore, who was acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Panthers, and stronger pass protection with rookie first-rounder Darnell Wright at tackle.
Compared to last offseason, the Bears have done a much better job of strengthening Fields' supporting cast, and it should pay off in the upcoming season. But they can put the cherry on top of their efforts with the addition of Hopkins, who would be a decent complement to Moore on the perimeter, which would allow Darnell Mooney to work primarily out of the slot.
Remember, wide receiver Chase Claypool had a disappointing seven-game stretch (14 receptions for 140 yards) with the team last year. He had been "dealing with a few things" that sidelined him for a few weeks in the spring, per head coach Matt Eberflus.
Chicago doesn't have to wait for Claypool to find his footing in the offense with enough cap space to sign Hopkins.
On the heels of Aaron Rodgers' departure from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets, the Bears can make waves in the NFC North and challenge the high-scoring Minnesota Vikings (sans Dalvin Cook) for the division crown.
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Houston Texans
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Hopkins' career could come full circle in a second stint with the Houston Texans.
Houston selected him in the first round of the 2013 draft, and he put together three All-Pro years with the club before former head coach Bill O'Brien traded him to the Cardinals.
Before quarterback Deshaun Watson arrived, Hopkins eclipsed 1,200 receiving yards with journeyman quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brian Hoyer starting most of the games between 2014 and 2015. He could get the job done with C.J. Stroud, who comes into the league with a 69.3 percent completion rate over the last two years at Ohio State.
Sure, the 21-year-old will face an even field of competition in the pros, but he can continue to demonstrate efficiency with an All-Pro receiver on the perimeter.
Keep in mind that the Texans traded Brandin Cooks to the Dallas Cowboys, which puts a lot of pressure on Robert Woods, Nico Collins and John Metchie III to fill a big void in the passing game.
Dalton Schultz will likely garner a lot of attention in coverage, which may disrupt his rapport with Stroud. Hopkins can take pressure off of the tight end and become a safety blanket for the rookie signal-caller in crucial moments.
The Texans play in the division of young quarterbacks. NBC Sports' Peter King believes the Titans may turn to Will Levis if they struggle through the first two months of the season. At 23 years old, Jacksonville Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence is the only signal-caller entrenched in a starting position in the AFC South.
If Stroud jumps off to a good start with a marquee receiver, the Texans can surprise people with a playoff run under first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans.
New England Patriots
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Among the five teams, the New England Patriots are the only squad with a clear interest in Hopkins, hosting him on a visit.
According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, they will continue their pursuit of the five-time Pro Bowler after signing wideout DeVante Parker to an incentive-laden three-year, $33 million extension.
ESPN's Dianna Russini cleared up speculation that Hopkins harbors animosity toward Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, who jettisoned the wideout while he served as the head coach and acting general manager of the Texans.
Along with the Tennessee Titans, who also hosted Hopkins for a visit (h/t Russini), the Patriots seem like front-runners to sign the wide receiver. Though, unlike Tennessee, New England isn't in transition with a new general manager who could pivot to a complete rebuild midway through the 2023 season.
Furthermore, the Patriots have a firmer short- and long-term quarterback plan with Mac Jones in the starting position.
New England plays in a division with two playoff teams from the previous season and an Aaron Rodgers-led New York Jets squad. With that said, Jones has a Pro Bowl year on his resume, and O'Brien is a major upgrade over the Matt Patricia-Joe Judge play-caller combination from 2022.
With O'Brien, who has worked with Hopkins for multiple seasons, the Patriots offense can make massive strides in the upcoming campaign. Jones would likely take a third-year leap with the best receiver he's played with in the pros.
College football statistics are provided by cfbtstas.com.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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