Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) waits during a timeout during the third quarter against the Houston Texans in Glendale on Oct. 24, 2021.
The question many are asking today is did DeAndre Hopkins over value himself this NFL offseason? The answer is likely somewhere in the middle. However, for a guy who voiced a lot of opinions, his number of suitors has dramatically diminished.
Yes, DeAndre Hopkins Did Over Value Himself
The Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, and the New England Patriots were all rumored to be in the running for his services. Now, only the Patriots seem willing to roll the dice. Additionally, until he puts pen to contract likely later this offseason, he will remain unemployed.
One interesting rumor as reported by Adam Schefter at ESPN features former Minnesota Vikings receiver Dalvin Cook. According to the New York Post Twitter account, Cook would like to team up with Hopkins. While the Titans would not be a good fit, the Patriots could be the best destination to land both.
Dalvin Cook interested in teaming with DeAndre Hopkins to form ‘epic’ duo pic.twitter.com/0MGrhm30PI
— New York Post (@nypost) June 20, 2023
One outside possibility has to do with the Miami Dolphins. Miami, who managed to resurrect the career of Tua Tagovailoa, could see the potential end of their No.1 wide receiver. Tyreek Hill, whose reputation on the police blotter is well known, is under investigation for allegedly assaulting a man on a fishing boat.
Hill, who is no stranger to poor decision-making that ends up with a visit from local law enforcement. Fans in Stillwater remember him well. Hill was dismissed from Oklahoma State after being charged with domestic abuse. He later pleaded guilty and was investigated again in 2019 for an alleged battery charge. The charge was ultimately dropped after medical reports showed his three-year-old son’s arm was broken in a fall. The NFL investigated but ultimately decided not to suspend Hill. The commissioner’s office concluded he did not violate the league’s code of conduct policy. Is Miami a viable team for Hopkins? It is one team to keep an eye on regardless of where the Hill situation leads.
Where There Is Smoke, There Is Fire
D-Hop is a player also under scrutiny for his overall demeanor and transgressions in Arizona. A few NFL executives told The Athletic they would be cautious about “taking on a big personality about to turn 31 yrs. old”. That same report by Tim Graham noted that those same executives acknowledged Hopkins is not a guy who embraces practice but loves game day. Simply stated he has terrible practice habits.
The #Patriots canceled today’s final minicamp practice, per @mikekadlick.
This is a VERY SMART move by Bill Belichick, because DeAndre Hopkins is visiting NE, and he hates practicing, so now D-Hop will get the impression Bill does not like to practice.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) June 14, 2023
Three seasons ago, Houston traded Hopkins to the Cardinals who have now released him with zero trade opportunities. It is hard to imagine the Death Star that is the Patriots organization taking on that kind of mentality. For these reasons, DeAndre Hopkins did overvalue himself. As good as Hopkins can be on game day, there is a reluctance to sign him. His credentials for Canton are borderline at best, but his reputation is becoming a noticeable drag on his career. Now, with a base salary of $19.45 million left on the table in Arizona, DeAndre Hopkins has become his own cautionary tale.
Main Image: Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK