DeAndre Hopkins sends cryptic tweet days after becoming free agent; four teams all but rule out signing WR

DeAndre Hopkins has been a free agent for several days, yet the teams pursuing the five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver are unknown. The Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills were reportedly active in acquiring Hopkins prior to his release and are believed to still have interest in signing him, but the teams that aren’t pursuing Hopkins have publicized their lack of interest in him.

Hours after New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel all but said their teams won’t be signing Hopkins, the three-time first-team All-Pro wide receiver put out this cryptic tweet. 

Hopkins has also signed with Klutch Sports this week after previously representing himself. Kelton Crenshaw will be Hopkins’ agent going forward as he seeks out a new team. Crenshaw represents DeVonta Smith, Chase Young, and Kayvon Thibodeaux — all of whom are in the NFC East. 

As for the first two teams that passed on Hopkins? Saleh said “we love our current group” when referring to the Jets, who revamped their wide receiver room this offseason. The Titans didn’t revamp the position like the Jets did, but Vrabel said the team is “focused on the players they have here.” Tennessee didn’t rule out Hopkins, but he doesn’t appear to be an option. 

One of the NFC East’s top teams, the Dallas Cowboys, kicked off the month by June by discussing their satisfaction with their current wide receiver room.

“I really like the look of our group,” Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said on Thursday per the Dallas Morning News, when asked about the team’s interest in Hopkins. “There’s nothing good that comes out of those answers. Hop is a hell of a talent.” 

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell had a similar reaction to McCarthy’s on June 1 as well.

“Yeah, I’m not gonna comment on that one,” head coach Dan Campbell said on Thursday when asked about adding Hopkins. “But I like our receivers room. I think we’ve got a good mix of different types of guys. I think it’s important, really, in your skill positions between tight ends, backs, and receivers that you have a mix of different types of skillsets — and I feel like we have that. We’ve got possession, explosive, we’ve got speed. We’ve got consistency, quickness. So, I just think we have a lot of guys that can do a lot of different things. So, the more versatility you have, that opens up your packages personnel-wise, matchup-wise.”

Hopkins has the eighth-most receiving yards through a player’s first 10 seasons in NFL history (11.298) and the fourth-most receptions after a player’s first 10 seasons (853). Hopkins averaged 7.1 catches per game (fourth in NFL) and 79.7 receiving yards per game (10th in NFL) despite only playing nine games last season. He’s been a first team All-Pro three times and selected to the Pro Bowl five times in his 10 NFL seasons.

There’s still excellent value in signing Hopkins, which he’s eager to prove in 2023 for a contending team.