DeAndre Hopkins to the Tennessee Titans

DeAndre Hopkins to the Tennessee Titans

17 July, 2023

According to numerous rumors, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, a three-time All-Pro, will sign a two-year deal with the Tennessee Titans.

With incentives of $6 million, the transaction has a maximum value of $26 million. Hopkins will receive a $12 million base pay, but due to contract incentives, his final year salary could reach $15 million.

Hopkins, who was released by the Arizona Cardinals in May, had made visits to the Titans and New England Patriots. He joins a young Titans wide receiver group that had the fourth-fewest receiving yards overall in 2016.

The starting quarterback will likely be Ryan Tannehill, but that might change. At the 2023 NFL Draft, the Titans selected Kentucky quarterback Will Levis in the second round.

Hopkins missed the first six games of the previous season due to a performance-enhancing substance infraction. For the second consecutive season, he only played in nine games, finishing with 717 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Since departing the Houston Texans in 2020, the 31-year-old has had difficulty. With 1407 receiving yards and six touchdowns in his debut season in Arizona—another Pro Bowl year—he performed well. However, he only accumulated 1289 total yards in his final two seasons with the Cardinals, which led to the team cutting him go this spring due to the salary budget hit.

Derrick Henry is a key component of the Titans’ run-heavy offense. Hopkins, however, might cause a shift in the situation. He led the league in receiving touchdowns (13) in 2017 and has at least 1000 receiving yards in six seasons over seven years between 2014 and 2020, including five straight.

Tennessee’s attack, which features Henry and Hopkins, might succeed in the competitive AFC South if it can strike the correct offensive balance.