When the Kansas City Chiefs reeled in DeAndre Hopkins, it didn’t take long for the NFL to notice what it could mean for the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. And Hopkins didn’t waste time poking fun at his former team. But at the end of the day on Tuesday, it became clear the Chiefs won the 2024 NFL trade deadline.
Keep in mind this goes down as a trade-deadline win only. It doesn’t mean the Chiefs will win a third straight Super Bowl. It only gives them a better chance for now. Injuries will be the biggest deciding factor for how the rest of the season and playoffs finish out.
The Chiefs not only got Hopkins to boost their injury-ravaged receiver room, but also added pass rusher Josh Uche. While Uche could make an impact, too, it’s Hopkins that should be the biggest boost to another run at the Super Bowl.
Chiefs WR DeAndre Hopkins brings plenty of talent
Hopkins is a 12th-year veteran with 953 receptions and 12,643 yards. He’s a five-time All-Pro selection since entering the league with the Houston Texans via the 2013 NFL Draft. And the Chiefs got him for a fifth-round pick that could become a four.
However, this will be Hopkins’ first true playoff run since 2021. He said that matters, according to usatoday.com.
“It takes your game to a different level, knowing that you’re playing for something,” Hopkins said. “I haven’t played meaningful football in a couple years. “I think I’ve done a lot, all the accolades that I can accomplish, as far as personal. So, I think just playing meaningful football in January is what’s left on the list.”
Andy Reid said the 6-foot-1, 212-pound Hopkins brings plenty to the table, including his professional approach, according to Sports Illustrated.
“He's really handled things the right way,” Reid said. “Been really diligent on studying and asking questions, staying late, coming in early, the whole deal there. His role will continue to increase this week. We're comfortable with that, and I think he's comfortable with it.”
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes got more dangerous with addition of Hopkins
Mahomes said the Chiefs will use Hopkins to put defenses in a bind.
“Yeah, I think whenever you're able to put him in there, obviously we're going to be able to hit some throws down the field,” Mahomes said. “I think hitting him kind of over that medium to long range is going to open up other guys down the field and take pressure off other guys as far as eyes and coverage. Whenever you've got, really, two guys when you talk about DeAndre and Trav that are all kind of working in that medium-type range in the football field, it opens up the deeper throws because teams have to account for that.”
And Hopkins is putting in the work, Reid said on the Chiefs YouTube page via athlonsports.com.
“He studies like crazy,” Reid said. “We've got him a bunch of different spots, for him to be able to pick it up like he has and be able to get out of the huddle and lined up has been a plus, then know the routes. He and Pat do a ton of talking. You see this with good receivers and good quarterbacks, they have a feel for each other and their games.”
The Chiefs already had a perfect record before getting Hopkins. And they’ve done it by making plays in tight situations.
“These games have been close,” Reid said. “I'm proud of the guys for playing for four quarters and hanging together for that time. We can get better in all the different spots, me included. We're all kind of working in the same direction right now and that's important.”
Did the Chiefs need to add Hopkins?
It’s interesting that Mahomes didn’t push the Chiefs toward a player like Hopkins. He said a few weeks before the trade deadline the Chiefs had ample talent on the roster, according to espn.com.
“I have extreme confidence with the guys that are on that football field,” Mahomes said. “They've won games, they've won Super Bowls, they've made plays in big moments and Brett Veach has done a great job of bringing players in that can step up whenever their number is called.
“Every time I step on that football field, I feel like we have the best ability to win, and I think that's a credit to Brett Veach and coach [Andy] Reid bringing in guys that really get after it and put in the work to be great every single day.”
So maybe it can’t be said that Hopkins didn’t come in as a pure need. But when a team has a chance to make NFL history by winning a third straight Super Bowl, it has to go above and beyond. And that is what the Hopkins trade is for the team.
And it’s especially true because of what the Buffalo Bills did by adding Amari Cooper. They may have closed any perceived gap with the Chiefs by making that deal. And then the Chiefs pushed it back out by reeling in Hopkins.
Another team improved at deadline
The Minnesota Vikings made a splash by getting left tackle Cam Robinson from the Jaguars. The Vikings lost standout tackle Christian Darrisaw to a season-ending knee injury, but Robinson gives them a chance to move forward for a playoff push.
Robinson turned up ready to go for his debut against the Colts, according to vikings.com.
“I knew the type of time, the type of work it was going to take me to prepare for this game, and I was all-in on that,” Robinson said. “My teammates and coaches did a good job of preparing me and getting me to a point where I could go out and roll.”
Vikings’ tackle Brian O’Neill added, “”Just so much credit to him for the work he put in over 72 hours to be able to do that. Obviously, he's a veteran football player who's played a lot of games, had a lot of success in this league, and I thought our two o-line coaches, Kup' (Chris Kuper) and Shaun Sarrett, did a great job staying with him after meetings, after practice, late into the night, teaching him on the fly.”
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