The Kansas City Chiefs and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins parted ways this offseason as the now former Chief wide receiver joins the Baltimore Ravens for the 2025 campaign. Signing a one-year deal worth up to $6 million.
In 10 games last season with Kansas City, Hopkins recorded 437 receiving yards in 41 receptions. He also scored four touchdowns. But following the signing, one anonymous NFL executive, as reported by Mike Sando of The Athletic, said the move doesn’t exactly jump off the page or push the Ravens any further.
“D-Hop, that doesn’t do anything for me. He’s just a name at this point,” Sando reported.
Hopkins is going into his age 33 season, and the veteran wide receiver hopes he can continue to showcase he still has what it takes to be an above average receiver in the National Football League. Throughout his career, he has totaled more than 1,000 receiving yards seven different times but hasn’t yet reached that feat since the 2023 campaign.
The former first round draft pick by the Houston Texans in the 2013 NFL Draft will be another target for Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson to run plays through. Given the success Jackson has had over his career, perhaps Hopkins can improve his name in the eyes of the anonymous executive.
The relatively cheap contract however might suggest that the Chiefs had no problem letting Hopkins walk, given they have a young and upcoming core of wide receivers. Even according to Mike Florio and Chris Simms, the deal isn’t a good one.
“It’s the kind of deal where you look at it and go ‘I don’t even know if that means he’s going to make the football team to a degree,” Simms said on March 12. “I think they look at this as veteran depth help, experienced guy, that’s about it. I don’t think much in the offense is going to be featured around DeAndre Hopkins.”
Given two opinions now, one anonymous and one public, the overall consensus seems to be leaning towards the Chiefs making the right decision in not bringing Hopkins back to Kansas City. Who knows, maybe he turns things around in a new offense, we will have to wait and see.