As rumors continue to swirl around free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins with NFL training camps around the corner, the Kansas City Chiefs remain a wild card team in the sweepstakes. The Chiefs, who have a rather inexperienced receiver room, had previously inquired about trading for Hopkins before he was released by the Arizona Cardinals.
So, where do things stand between the two sides? The Chiefs have ‘kept in contact' with Hopkins' camp, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler in the latest NFL rumors.
“Well the Chiefs have kept in contact, I'm told, with DeAndre Hopkins' camp. They have, certainly, some interest. The problem is money. They don't have much of it. They're really tight on the salary cap. Now if they extend defensive tackle Chris Jones, who has a $28 million cap hit, that would free up some money where they could go after Hopkins a little more aggressively.”
As Fowler notes, the Chiefs are interested in Hopkins, but they have very important contract negotiations going on with All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, who has been a crucial piece to two Super Bowl-winning teams in Kansas City.
Plus, the Jones deal may not get done until right before training camp or even after, per Fowler.
The NFL insider listed the Chiefs as “in the mix” but on the “periphery”, behind the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans for the All-Pro wideout.
If the Chiefs are able to make the money work for Hopkins, it makes perfect sense to bring him in.
Kansas City lost JuJu Smith-Schuster to the Patriots in free agency this offseason- and their most experienced returning starter is Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who has been in the league for five years.
Meanwhile, Hopkins is a decorated All-Pro who has been regarded as one of the best pass-catchers in the NFL for years now. He has six 1000-yard seasons in 10 seasons.
Getting Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes a receiver like that would be a no-brainer. It would make the Kansas City offense, already the league's best, even scarier. It just has to make sense financially.
Time will tell if that happens.