DeAndre Hopkins is a unique talent, and he’s now also a free agent after being released by the Arizona Cardinals on Friday.
Selected out of Clemson in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft by the Houston Texans, Hopkins has earned five All-Pro nominations and was selected to five Pro Bowls.
The 30 years old, he still projects to have at least a few years of production after still playing at an elite level following his return from a PED suspension that forced him to miss the start of the 2022 season with the Arizona Cardinals.
Hopkins listed Jalen Hurts as a quarterback he’d love to catch passes from, and we’re looking at the pros and cons of such a high-risk union.
Pros-- Best hands in the league
Hopkins is dominant after 50/50 balls or a contested catch and is unstoppable in the end zone.
Hopkins has caught 62.4 percent of targets in his career and, during 10 NFL seasons, played with the Texans and Cardinals, he has 853 catches for 11,298 yards and 71 touchdowns.
Cons -- Eagles culture
Hopkins has been criticized at times for his practice habits, and the PED suspension from last season could bring unwanted attention to Lane Johnson.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson admitted that it took a second to adapt to how things are run in Philadelphia and will Hopkins have the temperament to put his head down and work.
The Eagles are a well-oiled machine and tend to operate without the big melodrama that engulfs NFL locker rooms.
“I don’t know if DeAndre Hopkins would fit the culture… I think some people would be a little bit nervous about having him in this locker room.”
– @RealDGunn pic.twitter.com/vdRNOYCllE
— JAKIB Sports (@JAKIBSports) May 26, 2023
Pros-- Productive wide receiver
In his three seasons in Arizona, Hopkins had 2,696 yards and 17 touchdowns on 221 receptions, including 64 catches for a team-leading 717 yards and three TDs last year despite missing the first six games of the 2022 season after being suspended for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
Cons -- Stunt DeVonta Smith's growth
Smith believes he’s a top 10 wide receiver, and he flourished alongside A.J. Brown in 2022, logging an Eagles record for receptions (95) by a wide receiver, 1,196 yards, and seven touchdowns.
Hopkins is on the downside of his career and would be an obvious No. 3 on the roster based on 2022 PFF grades.
He’s looking for a breakout season in 2023, and adding Hopkins would make Philadelphia more explosive on the outside, but at what cost?
Cons -- Salary scale
Hopkins carried salary-cap hits of $30.8 million in 2023 and $26.2 million in 2024 with Arizona.
He won’t get that kind of money on the open market and if he’s looking for at least the $13.9 million Odell Beckham Jr. is getting from Baltimore, then Philadelphia is likely out.
Would Hopkins be open to a one-year, $6 million deal to play in the slot?
Outlook
Hopkins is one of the top wide receivers and the NFL and would add to an already explosive offense.
The Eagles have the locker room leadership to absorb his personality as well, and his success would likely depend on how well he could mesh with A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert.
