Rumors are swirling at wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins since his release from the Cardinals last month, with the five-time Pro Bowl receiver linked to several teams around the league.
While the free agent market for Hopkins continues to develop, the only thing that is certain at this point is that he wants to choose a new team at the start of training camp after the summer, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
“DeAndre Hopkins, I’m told, is sorting out potential free agency visits that he could take in the coming days,” Fowler said in SportsCenteron Saturday morning, per Bleacher Report. “He is not in a hurry here. I’m told minicamp is a soft deadline, training camp in late July is a harder deadline. And so, he looked at the whole league. It’s not a situation where he’s just looking to play with a few quarterbacks, or a short list.
“He’s very open-minded here, which is what makes me shiver. Now, I’m told he’s open to playing with Deshaun Watson, as Watson has played with him. Browns are probably called fringe contenders. I thought they were on the phone. I didn’t know that they are too much investment of big money now. Such is the problem. Many contending teams would love to get him. I’ll put the Bills in this hat, the Chiefs, the others. But with the cap issues, and now that it’s early June, there’s not a lot of money to spend. So let’s see which team will give him a fair deal to commiserate with a former All-Pro.
Illustrated in SportsAlbert Breer reported in late May that the Cardinals held trade talks with the Bills and the Chiefs for Hopkins, but ultimately failed to reach an agreement due to his contract. Per Breer, Hopkins is reportedly looking for a contract in the neighborhood of what Odell Beckham Jr. received. from the Ravens (one year, $15 million guaranteed).
Hopkins will turn 31 on June 6, but still has a lot to offer, even if he’s not the All-Pro receiver he once was in his prime. Hopkins played nine games last season after serving a suspension for performance-enhancing substances, but still caught 64 passes for 717 yards and three touchdowns, averaging more than 11 yards per reception.