While you were sleeping, the Kansas City Chiefs moved to acquire wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins from the Tennessee Titans.

Why did Kansas City make this move? We’ve got you covered.

Chiefs-Titans trade terms for Hopkins

First, the trade terms: The Chiefs wanted to avoid giving up a Day 1 or Day 2 pick, which translates to anything between the first and third rounds.

This caused Kansas City to pivot away from someone like Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams. Los Angeles is reportedly looking for a second-string player for his services. In the Hopkins trade, the Chiefs give up a fifth-round NFL Draft pick, which could become a fourth-round pick based on certain conditions (that part is still being ironed out as of this writing).

Salary cap assistance

The Chiefs were a bit tight on salary cap space for 2024 (our estimates here), so they needed a team willing to work with them. Tennessee was willing to work with Kansas City to reduce that number, although exact details are unknown at this time.

It’s worth noting that Chiefs general manager Brett Veach worked with Titans general manager Ran Carthon to pull off the blockbuster trade earlier this year by sending L’Jarius Sneed to Tennessee, so the relationship to be over deal like this had already been negotiated.

What Hopkins can do for the Chiefs

Hopkins’ size and weight (listed at 6’1” and 212 pounds) are within the range of wide receivers Rashee Rice (6’1” and 204 pounds) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (6’1” and 215 pounds) – something that was important no matter which player the Chiefs ended up with.

With Rice likely out for the season (and Smith-Schuster dealing with a hamstring injury that will see him miss at least Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders), it was paramount to land a capable target opposite the tight end Travis Kelce.

“The guy across from Kelce is really important at the end of the day,” head coach Andy Reid said on Oct. 16, “that they know how to play the game and can do similar things to Kelce. If you can achieve that, then you have something to gain offensively.

“So (JuJu Smith-Schuster) did that before, (former WR Byron) Pringle did that before him. We’ve had guys in those spots who could do that, so that’s positive.”

Reid will have a chance to speak specifically about Hopkins late Wednesday morning during his usual media appearance. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be next on the podium.

Statistics

To date, the 32-year-old Hopkins has 15 catches for 173 yards and a touchdown in the 2024 season, but it’s worth noting that quarterback Will Levis hasn’t been great for Tennessee. Among quarterbacks with at least 62 dropbacks, Levis ranks 38th Pro football focus.

Hopkins teamed up with Ryan Tannehill for half the season in 2023 and posted the seventh 1,000-yard season of his career.

Chiefs depth chart vs. Las Vegas

With the addition of Hopkins, the Chiefs will have five wide receivers active for their Week 8 matchup against the Raiders: Hopkins, Xavier Worthy, Justin Watson, Mecole Hardman and Skyy Moore.