The Tennessee Titans are parting ways with veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins after just one and a half seasons with the franchise. The Titans are reportedly trading the 32-year-old player to the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of the NFL trade deadline. In return, Kansas City will send a fifth-round draft pick to the Titans, which could become a fourth-round pick if Hopkins meets certain performance benchmarks.
Hopkins initially joined the Titans on a two-year, $26 million deal as a free agent in 2023, during which time he recorded 75 receptions for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns in his first season. However, his performance has declined this year, with only 15 catches, 173 yards, and one touchdown across six games.
This trade presents Hopkins the opportunity to play alongside Patrick Mahomes with the Chiefs, while the Titans take a step towards rebuilding by acquiring draft assets for a high-profile player. Other recent trades in the NFL, such as the Las Vegas Raiders sending Davante Adams to the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns trading Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills, highlight this trend of teams dealing established receivers.
Several reasons influenced the Titans’ decision to trade Hopkins. Primarily, it stems from their struggles this season, as they have started with a 1-5 record, making it clear they are not contenders in 2024. Moving Hopkins—who is in the last year of his contract—could provide necessary assets to expedite the team’s rebuilding process.
The expiring nature of Hopkins’ contract played a significant role in the trade as well. With declining statistics this season, he is on track for his lowest career numbers, which might have led him to seek a new opportunity during the 2025 offseason. As he approaches his 33rd birthday, it is likely he would have preferred to join a playoff contender in pursuit of his first Super Bowl ring.
Additionally, the Titans will benefit financially from offloading Hopkins. They would have owed him roughly $8 million for the remainder of the season. While they might agree to cover part of that salary to facilitate the trade, they will avoid paying him the full amount. The associated dead-cap hits are manageable and won’t significantly impact the team’s finances.
The timing of the trade was also advantageous as the Chiefs desperately needed to bolster their receiving corps after losing their top target Rashee Rice to a season-ending injury and second receiver Hollywood Brown to an injury earlier in the season.
Without Hopkins, the Titans are not at a disadvantage in their receiver lineup, having signed Calvin Ridley to a lucrative contract and still holding veteran Tyler Boyd. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is expected to step into the lineup in three-receiver sets, allowing the team to adequately assess whether Will Levis can be their starting quarterback moving forward, which is a key focus for the Titans this season.