Titans Report Card: Final Grade For WR DeAndre Hopkins

The best move the Tennessee Titans made all season was signing free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in the summer. He had another 1,000-yard season, so he's the perfect player to start our ''Report Card'' series following the end of the 2023 season. Let's start doling out some grades.

First in a series

NASHVILLE — The 2023 season didn't turn out the way the Tennessee Titans wanted, and a 6-11 record was a big disappointment. It got coach Mike Vrabel fired, and a second straight losing season has the Titans heading in the wrong direction.

So when it comes to doling on final grades for players, this isn't going to be one of those happily-ever-after exercises. We'll look at all the good things, but there was a lot of bad, too.

We're starting with the best grades, and we'll work our way down through the list. It starts with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who was one of the few bright spots for Tennessee this year. His 11th NFL season was an impressive one for the former Clemson product.

Here is the DeAndre Hopkins report card. 

Hopkins by the numbers

Hopkins, who turned 31 last summer, started all 17 games for the Titans, and had 75 catches for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns. He was targeted 137 times, by far the most of any Tennessee receiver. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine was second with 45. 

His season took off when rookie Will Levis took over at quarterback. After going the first six games without a touchdown catch when Ryan Tannehill was the starting quarterback, he had six scores in the next eight games with Levis. His seventh and final TD grab came from Tannehill in the final game of the season, a 28-20 win over Jacksonville at Nissan Stadium.

After playing seven seasons in Houston and three in Arizona, Hopkins now has 928 career receptions for 12,355 yards and 78 touchdowns. He ranks No. 23 all-time in total yards, No. 35 all-time in receiving touchdowns and is tied for No. 21 all-time in catches along with Antonio Brown.

DeAndre Hopkins had 75 catches for 1,057 yards this season for Tennessee / © Denny Simmons - USA TODAY NETWORK

Best game

This one is easy. When the Titans hosted the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 29 after a bye, it signaled a start of a new era. Rookie Will Levis was making his first start, and Hopkins made sure it was a success.

Hopkins had three touchdown catches in the 28-23 win at Nissan Stadium. He only had four catches on the day, but they went for a 128 yards, including one 61-yard TD grab. Another reception went for 47 yards and a score, and a firm relationship was established early. It was one of his three 100-yard games on the season. The others were at Indianapolis (140 yards) on Oct. 8, and at Miami (124 yards) on Dec. 11 in the Titans' best win of the year.

DeAndre Hopkins (left) and rookie quarterback Will Levis made an instant connection. Hopkins had three touchdown catches in Levis' debut against Atlanta, and that was after going the first six games of the season without a single catch :: Andrew Nelles/USA TODAY Sports

Intangibles

When Hopkins became an unrestricted free agent, no team was more aggressive in pursuing him than the Titans. There was a big reason for that, of course, because the Titans had what was likely the worst receiving corps in the league. Hopkins changed the room immediately.

Younger receivers like Treylon Burks, Colton Dowell and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine talked often about what they gleaned from Hopkins in meetings and on the practice field. They were all better simply by being around Hopkins.

The person who benefited the most though was Levis. They were great together from the first game, and they did a lot of good things. Hopkins loved Levis' fiery demeanor and they had some occasional heated moments on the sideline, but it was all for the greater good. For Hopkins, it was helping Levis to get better. That worked, and Hopkins helped make it clear that the Titans had their quarterback of the future.

Hopkins has a great demeanor in the locker room, and he was an absolute pleasure to be around. He was great to talk to, and always good for a laugh. The open locker room day on the Friday before the final game, Hopkins fielded questions from reporters while getting a haircut. He was the perfect teammate, even in his first year with a new team.

DeAndre Hopkins had 48 catches on third-down, by far the most on the team.  :: © Andrew Nelles / USA TODAY NETWORK

Final grade

When I asked Titans coach Mike Vrabel about Hopkins' impact on this team a few weeks ago, he had an easy and simple response to my question. "He's done everything we've asked of him, and he's been everything we thought he would be.''

Simple enough, right? 

In a 6-11 season filled with disappointment, Hopkins stood out. Despite massive issues with the offensive line and quarterback struggles at times, Hopkins made the Titans a threat, and worth watching.

I'm giving Hopkins an A for his 2023 performance. I also think that's well deserved.