Is A DeAndre Hopkins Trade To Chiefs Realistic?

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In just a mere 13 days, the 2023 NFL league year will officially begin. Free agency will take center stage, as far as players switching teams. The leadup to the 2023 NFL Draft will soon be garnering most of the headlines, afterwards. However, possible trades are also very intriguing this time of year. We saw just how exciting the trades were last NFL offseason. Perhaps, veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is the subject of a major trade this offseason.

Could the Kansas City Chiefs be an ultimate landing spot for a DeAndre Hopkins trade? Is that move even realistic for the Chiefs, inside their roster construction and plans for 2023? Today, we will answer that question, while also diving into the recent storylines surrounding Hopkins and his impending status. Let’s kick it off.

Is Hopkins Leaving The Cardinals Inevitable?

DeAndre Hopkins has been a speculative trade candidate seemingly since the end of the 2022 regular season. If anything, Arizona has made that possibility appear much more likely in recent days. Much of the NFL is congregating in Indianapolis this week for the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. As a result, top decision makers have been in close contact with each other, discussing potential moves and gauging interest in players.

New Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon discussed Hopkins during his media availability at the Combine. According to the Arizona team website, Gannon stated that he was “not sure” about DeAndre Hopkins being on the Cardinals 2023 roster. “We are evaluating everyone,” he added.

Via Mike Jurecki of the Arizona Football Daily podcast, the Cardinals are looking for at least a second round pick and a conditional pick for Hopkins.

According to a couple agents I’ve spoken with the Cardinals looking for at least a second round pick and a conditional pick for DeAndre Hopkins. These conversations are taking place at the combine.

— Mike Jurecki (@mikejurecki) March 1, 2023

Gannon was hired so recently, that him saying they are evaluating everyone is not completely surprising. At the same time, Arizona has done nothing to shoot down these ongoing trade rumors. It appears that the compensation to acquire DeAndre Hopkins is pretty definite, at least from a starting point in negotiations.

Chiefs Make Sense For Multiple Reasons

The Kansas City Chiefs may not be the most obvious or the most likely candidate to possibly acquire DeAndre Hopkins. Yet, Kansas City should not be ruled out as a landing spot. This is due in part to multiple reasons.

For starters, Arizona is in the process of rebuilding, or at the very least retooling. Does Hopkins even want to be a part of that situation, knowing that the chance to make the playoffs seems difficult? Plus, who knows how much Kyler Murray even plays next year, as he recovers from a major knee injury. The rebuilding or retooling phase could also urge the Cardinals to add significant draft capital for the future.

Kansas City, on the other hand, is a constant contender with Patrick Mahomes. The opportunity to win and compete in the playoffs is much more likely with the Chiefs. Meanwhile, there is still a slight need for Kansas City at the wide receiver position.

Of the wide receivers that played significant snaps for the Chiefs in 2022, only Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore are signed for 2023. You would like to bring back JuJu Smith-Schuster, if possible. But of course, he, Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson are set for unrestricted free agency in around two weeks. Someone has to fill up spots on the depth chart. Why not DeAndre Hopkins?

Can Kansas City Fit His Contract Into 2023 Plans?

DeAndre Hopkins is signed through the next two seasons. Eventually, the 30-year-old pass catcher is set to be a free agent in the 2025 offseason. According to Spotrac, Hopkins is due a base salary and yearly cash total of $19.45 million in 2023. However, his cap hit for this upcoming season is much heftier, at $30.75 million. DeAndre Hopkins is then due a base salary and yearly cash total of $14.915 million in 2024. Once again, his cap hit is a bit higher, sitting at $26.215 million.

The aforementioned Valdes-Scantling ($11 million), Toney ($1.907 million) and Moore ($1.466 million) combine for a cap number of $14.373 million for 2023 via OverTheCap. That is obviously not too horrifying of cap hits for those three wide receivers that are signed for this upcoming season. An addition of DeAndre Hopkins may be challenging from a dollars and cents perspective.

Though, the salary cap continues to go up. The NFL set the 2023 salary cap at $224.8 million, a $16.6 million increase from the 2022 salary cap. Kansas City could quickly open up considerable 2023 salary cap space with some restructures or releases of players. If the Chiefs are looking to add a proven star to the wide receiver spot in 2023, DeAndre Hopkins makes a lot of sense. It is also not impossible, based on the contract situation.

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles and analysis throughout this week. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.