There are few more accomplished wide receivers in the NFL right now than DeAndre Hopkins, the 32-year-old with three first team All-Pro nods and five Pro Bowl appearances on his resume. Now in the twilight of his impressive career, Hopkins has a new home.
The talented wideout has inked a one-year, $5 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. With escalators, the deal could reach $6 million if Hopkins reaches certain benchmarks of production.
Hopkins split last season between the Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs. It ended with a gut-wrenching Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Hopkins appeared in 16 regular season games total (eight starts), registering 56 catches on 80 targets for 610 yards and five touchdowns.
After being sparsely involved in a bad Titans offense, Hopkins found a new life in Kansas City, catching passes from an all-time great in Patrick Mahomes. That should come as no surprise. While he's not the undisputed WR1 of yesteryear, Hopkins still averaged 4.1 receptions and 43.7 yards per game after joining the Chiefs. He can contribute in a more marginal role, providing a support blanket close to the line of scrimmage and a seasoned red zone target.
Lamar Jackson ought to be thrilled about this one.
DeAndre Hopkins leaves Patrick Mahomes for Lamar Jackson and the oh-so-close Ravens
It's clear that contending is a top priority for Hopkins at this stage of his career. He has spent many years on teams ranging from incomprehensibly bad (lookin' at you, Tennessee) to very good. Hopkins has spent precious little time on an actual contender, though. Kansas City offered a taste of greatness — a tantalizingly close pursuit of immortality — but Hopkins has yet to add a Super Bowl ring to his collection. The Ravens give him a good chance to finally get over the hump.
It's unwise to expect too much production from Hopkins at this point, at least relative to his lofty reputation. That said, as essentially WR3 in a deep Ravens offense, this is great value. He's another trustworthy set of hands for Lamar Jackson, and Hopkins should get his share of opportunities as opposing defenses expend resources trying to slow down the likes of Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman.
Hopkins has significantly dialed back the explosive plays that once defined him, but at 6-foot-1 and 212 pounds, he's still a plus athlete with appreciable physicality at the point of the catch. Hopkins has long thrived in the red zone and he can still produce on shorter routes. He averaged 10.7 yards per catch in Kansas City, giving Mahomes a solid check-down option when long-range routes for the likes of Xavier Worthy or Travis Kelce didn't pan out.
Baltimore tends to run the ball more than your average contender, but Jackson has an absolute canon and a special knack for improvising on the fly. Hopkins adjusted well to Mahomes' unique rhythms in KC — that ability to extend plays outside the pocket and generate passing lanes others might never think to conceive of. Now, Hopkins can expect even more of that in Baltimore, with Jackson constantly on the move and evading pressure to the outside.
This is a strong low-risk, one-year signing for the Ravens. Hopkins' name carries more weight than his actual production these days, but with properly tempered expectations, he can still contribute to a winner.