Andrew Buller-Russ
Shortly after DeAndre Hopkins was let go from the Arizona Cardinals, there was a belief that the three-time All-Pro would quickly find a new home in free agency. Only, the 31-year-old wide receiver has been available for nearly three weeks now.
Sure, he’s making progress, taking visits to the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots (even if Bill Belichick isn’t a travel advisor), but until Hopkins actually signs, there’s no telling how long he may have to wait to find a new team.
However, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer recently spoke with multiple NFL executives who were willing to chime in on Hopkins’ current market.
“I hit up a couple of team execs Sunday to try to get a value on him. One said that if he were a free agent in March, he’d still see Hopkins as an $18 million player on a multiyear deal, but “it’s such a strange time to reach the market; everyone has already spent and allocated.” Another guessed he’d get between $8 million and $10 million on a one-year deal, with some upside built in to make him whole if he could produce at his accustomed level.”
NFL insider Albert Breer on DeAndre Hopkins’ free agency market
Breer went on, noting he wouldn’t be surprised if the 10-year-pro tried to sign with the highest bidder, while indicating Hopkins has already rejected offers from the Bills and Chiefs for unknown amounts. Yet, in either case, Hopkins likely wasn’t offered a large contract, since both teams are tight against the salary cap for the 2023 season already.
We may not know exactly what Hopkins is seeking in his next NFL team, but chances are he’ll try and find the best combination of a strong financial offer that also gives him a reasonable opportunity to compete for what would be his first Super Bowl trophy.
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