The Cost Of Trading For Hopkins, Still Too Steep For Titans

The reported cost the Arizona Cardinals are asking for in trade has decreased, but in the end, the deal's price seems too steep for the Tennessee Titans.

Michael Chow / USA TODAY NETWORK

NASHVILLE - Fans of the Tennessee Titans have been abuzz about the potential of their team trading for veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins since it was first announced that the Arizona Cardinals were interested in dealing the superstar.

The initial asking price for Hopkins was reportedly a second-round pick, however since the market has not provided that in return, the new price is now believed to be in the neighborhood of the Brandin Cooks deal, where the Dallas Cowboys send the Houston Texans a 2023 fifth-round, and a 2024 sixth-round selection in exchange for Cooks. 

If that were the only cost for the Titans, I'm relatively sure general manager Ran Carthon would have already struck this deal with Arizona. 

However, that's not all there is to be able to make this deal for the Titans. As AllTitans reported on Monday, the Titans are currently cap-strapped and must find ways to trim their current cap figure down to be able to sign their incoming draft class.    

Adding Hopkins would mean taking on another big contract, with his cap hit reportedly sitting at $29.988 million for 2023 and $25.45 million for 2024.   

While Arizona would remain responsible for some of the guaranteed money, it is reported that the team trading for Hopkins would owe him $19.45 million. 

That's a steep number for a team without the cap space to sign their incoming draft class, much less a receiver who has played in only 19 games over the last two seasons because of soft tissue injuries, which is something head coach Mike Vrabel talked about at the end of last season which some Titan players had dealt with during the 2022 campaign.   

Ultimately, the trade cost is appealing, but the final numbers make pulling the trigger on this deal less attractive and unrealistic, considering the team's current cap position.   

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