Since the NFL world was rocked by the release of former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the biggest question has been: who is Hopkins going to sign with?
The biggest question in Denver may be, why shouldn’t the Broncos sign Hopkins?
Hopkins would transform the Denver wide receiver room instantly. Despite there being a number of talented wideouts already on the roster in Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick and now the newly-drafted Marvin Mims, quarterback Russell Wilson would surely benefit from this partnership.
One solution might be to release one or more players in the receiver room. During the offseason, there was a lot of talk that Sutton may be a casualty to trade or release, despite the new contract he commanded in 2021. It would be trading one top receiver for a proven target in Hopkins, who has been a No. 1 receiver for two teams, the Cardinals and the Houston Texans.
The Broncos may also see oft-injured wide receiver KJ Hamler as another player to drop in favor of Hopkins. The speedy youngster is dynamite on the field, but often finds himself on the sideline during the season.
Hopkins would likely command top dollar as a top-tier target, which could present a problem for Denver ownership. Would a big contract jeopardize free agent signings in the future? It would be a risky move, one that could pay off big time, in the short term.
The Broncos would likely need to restructure several existing contracts to be able to afford Hopkins, and such a scenario would be feasible, but perhaps unlikely. Hopkins seems likely to want to play for an instant contender in 2023 and while fans in Denver hope Sean Payton turns things around quickly, the Broncos aren’t viewed as a true contender at the moment.
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