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    • Why Titans traded DeAndre Hopkins to Chiefs, explained
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    Why Titans traded DeAndre Hopkins to Chiefs, explained

    Vaseline Posted on

    The Tennessee Titans are parting ways with veteran wideout DeAndre Hopkins after just a season and a half with the team.

    Tennessee is reportedly sending the 32-year-old receiver to the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of the NFL trade deadline. The Chiefs will send the Titans a fifth-round pick that could become a conditional fourth-rounder if Hopkins reaches certain benchmarks.

    Hopkins originally signed a two-year, $26 million contract with the Titans as a free agent in 2023. He had 75 catches for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns during his first year in Tennessee, but saw his numbers decline in 2024 (15). catches, 173 yards, one touchdown in six games).

    Now Hopkins will get the chance to work with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, as the Titans become the latest NFL team to acquire draft capital for a wide receiver. The Las Vegas Raiders sent Davante Adams to the New York Jets before Week 7, just hours before the Cleveland Browns traded receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills.

    Here’s what you need to know about the Titans’ decision to trade Hopkins and what it means for the future of their franchise.

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    Why did the Titans trade DeAndre Hopkins?

    A few factors likely played a role in the Titans’ decision to trade Hopkins. First and foremost, the Titans are not a contender in 2024. They posted a 1-5 record in six games to open the season, so trading Hopkins — who is on an expiring contract — for an asset that could can accelerate the team’s rebuilding. as a smart move.

    Hopkins’ expiring deal also plays a major role in the trade. The odds of him re-signing with the Titans don’t seem particularly high as he has seen a dip in production in his first season under head coach Brian Callahan. The 32-year-old is on pace for just 42 catches and 490 yards, which would mark both a career low and three touchdowns over a 17-game season.

    Had that production continued, Hopkins might have looked for a change of scenery during the 2025 offseason. Ahead of his age-33 season, Hopkins would likely want a contender to chase his first Super Bowl ring.

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    The Titans will also save some money by offloading Hopkins. According to Spotrac.com, they would have owed him around $8 million for the remainder of the 2024 NFL season. They might still eat up some of that salary to accommodate a deal with the Chiefs, but Tennessee won’t pay Hopkins the full share of what’s owed either way. And the dead cap hits associated with him ($10.25 million in 2024 and $5.89 million in 2025) certainly aren’t groundbreaking.

    The Titans also had an ideal trade partner in the Chiefs. Kansas City desperately needed wide receiver help after losing No. 1 target Rashee Rice to a torn ACL in Week 4 and No. 2 receiver Hollywood Brown to a sternoclavicular injury in the preseason.

    However, the Chiefs also had the goal of not giving up a top-100 draft pick while trying to get help at receiver, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB. That made Hopkins one of the Chiefs’ best combinations and allowed the Titans to get a fair price while turning an expiring contract into a future asset.

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    Without Hopkins, Tennessee won’t hurt too much at receiver either. The Titans signed Calvin Ridley to a big-money contract during the 2024 offseason and also have veteran Tyler Boyd on the roster. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who has proven to be an effective NFL role player, will likely be inserted into the lineup to replace Hopkins in three-receiver sets.

    That gives the team plenty of weapons to assess whether Will Levis can be their starting quarterback long-term, which was one of Tennessee’s top goals entering the 2024 season.

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