According to multiple reports, the Titans and Chiefs are working to finalize a trade that would send wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to Kansas City.
The Titans would receive a conditional fourth-round pick in a trade expected to be completed Wednesday.
The Chiefs have had a need at wide receiver since Rashee Rice suffered a right knee injury in Week 4 that required season-ending surgery. The team lost Marquise Brown to a shoulder injury in the preseason, and JuJu Smith-Schuster sustained a hamstring injury last week that has already ruled him out for Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Underdog's James Palmer said Smith-Shuster's setback set the wheels in motion.
Remember: After his release from Arizona, the Chiefs were among the teams in the running to sign Hopkins in 2023, but Tennessee outbid them.
Hopkins is in the final season of that two-year deal he signed with the Titans in July 2023. He suffered a torn MCL during the offseason but recovered for the season opener.
He has 15 receptions for 173 yards and a touchdown in six games in 2024. The five-time Pro Bowler has also played for the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals.
The Chiefs' Need at Wide Receiver
The addition gives quarterback Patrick Mahomes II another target. Mahomes said last week that he had "extreme confidence" in the Chiefs' receiving corps following the trades of two marquee receivers: Davante Adams (who was dealt to the Jets) and Amari Cooper (acquired by the Bills).
However, Kansas City's top remaining healthy wideouts, rookie Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson, have a combined 22 receptions through Week 7.
NFL.com's Kevin Patra states, "Hopkins was always the most logical trade candidate to help fill the Chiefs' glaring hole at receiver."
Patra explained that despite his slow start, Hopkins proved he's still capable of winning one-on-one matchups, and his ability to make tough catches in tight coverage hasn't diminished with age.
Palmer added two points: The plan is to prepare Hopkins to play against the Raiders this week. It's early, but we should have a better idea of what kind of workload the team anticipates by the end of the week.
A Perfect Fit?
Also, Palmer cited a source who texted him that Hopkins is "perfect" for Mahomes.
It's an easy argument to make.
USA Today's Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz suggested Mahomes might take some time to develop a rapport with Hopkins, but equipping the quarterback with a physical target who thrives in the short area gives him many of the easy throws that were shut off once Rice was lost. And for a passer who now is tied for the NFL lead with eight interceptions, he shouldn't have to press quite as often.
For the other assets of interest here, this move is a plus for tight end Travis Kelce.
As Patra explained it, with the lack of threats on the outside, teams have been able to smother Kelce, taking away Mahomes' security blanket for most of the season.
Worthy has flashed moments with his burning speed, but the rookie is still finding his way. The team spent the bulk of the past two years piecemealing the receiver room together, banking on the magic of Mahomes and Kelce to fill in the gaps.
But the injuries this year forced the front office to make a move. And given the circumstances, this seems like a positive move.
How Does Hopkins Project?
Footballguy Jason Wood, in setting initial projections for Hopkins in Kansas City, conservatively modeled 5 targets per game to start but acknowledged Hopkins could easily be in the 7-8 targets per game range, which is where Rice was before getting hurt, and where Smith-Schuster was in his one healthy week.
Wood expects Hopkins to average around 12 to 12.5 yards per catch in this system at his age, pointing out the Chiefs don't push it vertically these days and would likely use Worthy for those targets.
Wood is currently projecting 4 to 6 touchdowns.
All of these numbers will be adjusted as needed going forward, but it's a good starting point for those making decisions on Hopkins as soon as this weekend.
What's Left In Tennessee?
Meanwhile, this isn't a great sign for Titans quarterback Will Levis.
Middlehurst-Schwartz contends this deal wouldn't have happened if Levis had given the Titans any reason to believe that he's a worthwhile long-term investment at quarterback -- or even a tenable one.
Instead, a Tennessee team intended to be competitive this season pivoted, taking away one of its top receiving options to boost its draft capital.
It's hard to see that as anything other than an indication this team is already embracing a change behind center for 2025.
With Levis still dealing with a shoulder injury that sidelined him in Week 7, the move also hurts Rudolph, who didn't provide much of a spark as a fill-in starter against the Buffalo Bills.
Beyond that, Hopkins ranked second on the Titans in receiving yards behind Calvin Ridley, who has 183 yards. Tennessee doesn't have a single pass catcher with 200 receiving yards on the season.
For perspective, 49ers No. 3 receiver Jauan Jennings had more yards in one game (175) than Hopkins has in the entire 2024 season. The passing attack simply hasn't been there for the Titans in Callahan's first season with Levis and Mason Rudolph under center.
The Titans will move forward with Ridley and Tyler Boyd atop their depth chart.
Given the overall state of this passing attack and offense, both players' values are well-defined. Investors will likely want to hold onto Ridley, but he's WR69 with an average of 7.5 points per game. Expecting consistent weekly production seems overly optimistic.
Closing
As always, the Footballguys staff will have various views on this one, so watch for more on this story and the broader impact in the coming days.
The move will also impact our Week 8 Footballguys Projections and Rankings, so watch for that.
Catch Harris every weekday morning on the Footballguys Daily Update Podcast, your 10-minute daily dose of NFL news and fantasy analysis. Find the latest edition here or subscribe on your podcast platform of choice. You can also listen to Harris weeknights on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio's The Football Diehards show and Sundays on the SXM Fantasy Football Pregame show on Sirius channel 87, and Saturday nights on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Sirius channel 88.
