Ravens Salary Cap a Stumbling Block in DeAndre Hopkins Deal

The Baltimore Ravens have been linked with free agent receiver DeAndre Hopkins, but the franchise's salary cap could mean no move it made for the All-Pro.

All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins is a free agent after being cut by the Arizona Cardinals, and naturally, teams are being linked with the Baltimore Ravens, one such team.

After already acquiring Odell Beckham Jr. to help bring some explosiveness to an offense that was last season at times Mark Andrew or bust, many still have Baltimore going after Hopkins. 

But The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec thinks there is one significant thing stopping the Ravens from signing Hopkins.

"They currently have just north of $12 million of cap space, but they need that to sign [first-round wide receiver Zay] Flowers and make other roster additions at positions of need," Zrebiec wrote. "They'll also want to enter the season with a chunk of available cap space, so they have the flexibility to make roster moves and perhaps pull off a trade before the deadline."

So, Baltimore does have the cap room for Hopkins, but it is unknown exactly what kind of salary he is after. OBJ managed to get a one-year, $15 million deal that can rise to $18 million, which will likely be the starting point in negotiations with Hopkins.

Much like the Dallas Cowboys, who have been heavily linked with the All-Pro receiver, adding Hopkins to an offense already brimming with talent is seen as a luxury more than a necessity. 

Not to mention the cap situation, and given Baltimore's ability to run the ball, will there be enough targets for Beckham Jr., Andrews, Flowers, the returning Rashod Bateman, Devin Durvernay, AND Hopkins?

In theory, signing Hopkins would do wonders for the Ravens and their Super Bowl aspirations, but for now, the signing of the All-Pro is nothing more than an idea.

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