Insider Has Update on Kansas City Chiefs’ Pursuit of DeAndre Hopkins

SportsCenter insider Jeremy Fowler recently provided the latest on Kansas City's interest in star free agent wideout DeAndre Hopkins.

Cardinals DeAndre Hopkins (10) comes off the line against the Saints during a game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Oct. 20, 2022

Training camp for all 32 NFL clubs is right around the corner, and the free agency of five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins continues to loom large over a handful of select teams. The Kansas City Chiefs are one of them, especially considering the uncertainty surrounding head coach Andy Reid's wideout room for 2023.

The Chiefs were reported to have made contact with the Arizona Cardinals prior to the 2023 NFL Draft, as both sides allegedly discussed a trade that could have sent Hopkins over to Kansas City had talks progressed enough. That flame fizzled out over the next handful of weeks, then interested teams got new life when Arizona released Hopkins in late May. The 31-year-old has since visited with the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots — and not the Chiefs — but he has yet to indicate that he's close to making a final decision on where he's headed next.

In one of the NFL offseason's slower zones of proverbial traffic, free agency is reaching a near-halt. That isn't slowing down any Hopkins-centric discourse from taking place, though, and a recent edition of ESPN's SportsCenter program provided a fresh update on where things stand. When asked specifically about the Chiefs and Hopkins, here's what senior NFL writer and insider Jeremy Fowler had to say: 

"Well the Chiefs have kept in contact, I'm told, with DeAndre Hopkins' camp. They have, certainly, some interest. The problem is money. They don't have much of it. They're really tight on the salary cap. Now if they extend defensive tackle Chris Jones, who has a $28 million cap hit, that would free up some money where they could go after Hopkins a little more aggressively. But that deal might not happen until closer to training camp or even after. So I would consider the Chiefs on the periphery right now with the Titans and Patriots, who hosted Hopkins in for a visit a couple of weeks ago. Still firmly in the mix."

Fowler and other top national reporters have remained consistent with the financial hurdle aspect, as Kansas City's books simply don't have much room to add a former All-Pro player like Hopkins. According to the NFLPA's public salary cap report, general manager Brett Veach has left himself just over $1M in space to work with. Until another internal transaction frees up the requisite room, signing Hopkins doesn't appear to be possible.

Of course, a Jones extension is widely expected (but not guaranteed) to come to fruition at some point in the near future. The last time he signed a long-term deal with the Chiefs was back in July of 2020, so a similar timeframe could be realistic in this case as well. Exactly when a pen gets put to paper, however, remains unclear. As Fowler mentioned, it could be prior to the start of training camp or some time thereafter. 

Ahead of the 2023 preseason and regular season, the Chiefs are set to rely on the likes of Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore to lead the way in their wide receiver unit. Behind them, second-round rookie Rashee Rice and veteran Justin Watson project to serve as supplemental depth. Free agent pickup Richie James is a prime candidate to compete for a final spot on the depth chart, as are a few others. There isn't a ton of proven production in that group, which is where the Hopkins possibility comes into play. While the money may not be there as of now, Fowler's report that the Chiefs remain "firmly" in the mix leaves the door open for things to potentially change as soon as this month.

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