After months of rumors and speculation, the Arizona Cardinals released star receiver DeAndre Hopkins on May 26, leaving him free to sign with any team. Since his release, Hopkins has visited with the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots, and some signs are pointing to him signing with the latter team. As nothing is official yet, though, the door is still open for other teams to sign him too. Hopkins has been linked to the Kansas City Chiefs for months now, and that fit seems almost too good to pass up.

The Chiefs are fresh off their second Super Bowl title in four years and have been the class of the NFL for half a decade now. That said, their roster isn't perfect and still has some room for improvement. Notably, Kansas City is lacking a true difference-maker at receiver after trading away Tyreek Hill last offseason. Granted, the offense performed just fine without him, but having a star receiver to complement quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce would certainly be nice.

With Kansas City reportedly interested in Hopkins for months now, it sure seems like the Chiefs want to add the star wideout. To do that, though, there are some hurdles to overcome. Without further ado, let's break down how Hopkins to Kansas City is still possible.

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DeAndre Hopkins' path to the Chiefs, explained

Like most potential signings, the biggest hurdle in Hopkins' path to Kansas City is the salary cap. The Chiefs have the least cap space of any team in the league, with under $1 million currently available. It goes without saying, but a star receiver like Hopkins is going to want a much bigger payday.

That said, there are ways for the Chiefs to create more cap space. They are reportedly working on a long-term extension with defensive tackle Chris Jones, which should lower his cap hit of over $28 million this season. They could also restructure Mahomes' contract to lower his cap hit of nearly $40 million, but there aren't as many reports about that. Pushing so much salary into later years could get dicey, but with the Chiefs being in win-now mode, it may be worth the risk.

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The good news is that the Titans and Patriots don't have a ton of cap space either. Tennessee has roughly $8.3 million and New England has around $13.2 million in available cap space. That may be enough to sign Hopkins, but he may have to take a discount.

If Hopkins is OK with taking a discount, though, then the Chiefs have a massive advantage. With their success and stability over the last several years, the Chiefs are a team many players want to play for. If Hopkins is going to be playing on a cheaper deal, then he might as well take his best shot at a ring. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer believes Hopkins is holding out for a contending team, which is great news for the Chiefs.

Perhaps the Buffalo Bills, another AFC heavyweight, could offer DeAndre Hopkins a similar chance at a ring. However, not only are the Chiefs more proven than the Bills, but they offer Hopkins something he can't get with the Bills. That's a role as the undisputed No. 1 option, as in Buffalo, Hopkins would be splitting targets with Stefon Diggs. If that's important to Hopkins, then Kansas City is the clear choice.

Perhaps the Chiefs can't offer Hopkins the most money, but there are plenty of reasons beyond that for him to join the defending champs.