Titans Have Reportedly Been 'More Aggressive" Pursuing Hopkins, As They Should Be
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans have been in the DeAndre Hopkins race for nearly a month now and per a recent report, they have been the most aggressive team trying to pursue the talented wide receiver's services.
According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, the Titans have been "more aggressive" going after Hopkins than the New England Patriots(the team Reiss covers). Reiss dove into his assessment of the situation in a recent article.
"3. D-Hop update: Key points on where things stand with free agent receiver DeAndre Hopkins, according to sources close to the situation, are as follows: The Tennessee Titans and Patriots have made offers, the Titans have been more aggressive to this point and Hopkins hasn’t been in a rush to sign. One reason for Hopkins to wait a bit longer is to leave open the possibility of another team entering the mix, potentially increasing his market."
Hopkins waiting until closer to training camp to sign always seemed like the move. As Reiss points out, it allows more time for for offers to grow or another team to enter the sweepstakes. However, if you are a Titans fan, it is encouraging to hear about their aggressiveness.
At the end of the day, the Titans should be the more aggressive team for Hopkins. Not only because of their lack of talent at receiver, but also the situation the team finds itself in. The Titans need Hopkins more than the Patriots.
First, the obvious thing we mentioned is the Titans lack of NFL-caliber receivers. Behind Treylon Burks, there are no names to get excited about. In New England, while their room isn't filled with All-Pros, names like Devante Parker, Kendrick Bourne and JuJu Smith-Schuster certainly sound better than anyone not named Burks in Tennessee.
That isn't the only major reason though. Look at the age of the top players on each team. The Titans are entering somewhat of a "last dance" season with quarterback Ryan Tannehill and running back Derrick Henry on the last year of their contracts. They simply can't afford to go into this "last dance" with the weapons they have.
On the other side, New England's starting quarterback is heading into his third year and should have a lot of time ahead of him. Add in young pieces like Rhamondre Stevenson, Josh Uche and Cole Strange, and it is easy to see why the Titans should be the more aggressive team in a hunt for a win-now move.
This report from Reiss doesn't guarantee the Titans will sign Hopkins, but it is nice to see that they understand their situation. Hopefully, the Titans' aggressiveness translates to the money they offer to Hopkins as well.
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