When DeAndre Hopkins was released by the Arizona Cardinals, it gave teams still needing a wide receiver upgrade a chance to sign the former All-Pro. For a long time, the expectation was for the New England Patriots to land the star receiver, but a deal never materialized between the two sides and on Sunday, word broke that Hopkins had shifted his attention elsewhere in the AFC.
Doug Kyed and Dianna Russini reported early Sunday afternoon that Hopkins was expected to join the Tennessee Titans, giving them a veteran presence in their wide receiver room.
Free-agent WR DeAndre Hopkins is expected to sign with the Titans, per source. Deal is expected to become official over the next few days.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) July 16, 2023
3x All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is expected to sign with the Tennessee Titans, per sources. This is new Titans GM Ran Carthon’s first big splash. @DougKyed the first to report.
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) July 16, 2023
Shortly after, Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport brought word that Hopkins was set to join the Titans on a two-year contract worth $26 million (plus some incentives), giving Tennessee a top-level receiver they didn’t have last year after trading AJ Brown to Philadelphia.
Titans are giving WR DeAndre Hopkins a two-year contract. pic.twitter.com/4pctOGvkYf
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 16, 2023
The #Titans are giving star WR DeAndre Hopkins a 2-year, $26M deal worth up to $32M with incentives, source said.
He gets a base of $12M in Year 1 with a chance to get to $15M. https://t.co/4Vsy2sF1zG
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 16, 2023
The biggest question of Hopkins is what level he can still reach as a receiver. He hasn’t been an All-Pro since 2020, his first season in Arizona, having appeared in just 19 games across the last two seasons due to injury and a PED suspension. Even if he’s not quite the dominant outside threat he was at his absolute peak, he does give Tennessee a much-needed big body on the outside and a veteran to help bring along Treylon Burks.