NASHVILLE, TN — All-Pro Wide Receiver Deandre Hopkins finally signed a deal with a new team on Sunday, July 16. After months of speculation, the long-time Houston Texan will sign a 2-year deal with the Tennessee Titans. The new contract is reportedly worth $26 million and up to $32 million in incentives.
Hopkins, 31, enters his 11th NFL season in 2023. The former Clemson standout spent his first seven seasons in the league with the Houston Texans before Houston traded him to the Arizona Cardinals in 2020 in a blockbuster deal. Over the last three years, Hopkins found success in Arizona, but after only appearing in nine games in 2022 (Hopkins served an 8-game suspension levied by the NFL for violating its performance enhancing drug policy) and a dysfunctional organization failed to find a trading partner, Arizona released Hopkins in May during the offseason. Since then, several teams, including the Titans and the New England Patriots, have courted the talented wideout until finally, the Titans sealed the deal on Sunday.
Despite only appearing in nine games a season ago, the star wideout still finished fourth in the League in receptions per game (7.1) and 79.7 yards per game (10th in the NFL). The 31-year-old clearly still has more in the tank and should become an immediate asset to the Titans in 2023.
But why did the receiver pick Tennessee over somewhere like New England? Hopkins has familiarity with the coaching staff in Nashville. Tennessee’s Head Coach Mike Vrabel worked with Hopkins for four years in Houston. Hopkins also posted 104 receptions for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019 when current Titans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly was calling the plays for the Texans.
Post a comment to this article here: