The Tennessee Titans have decided to part ways with veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins after just one and a half seasons with the team. Reports indicate that the Titans are trading the 32-year-old to the Kansas City Chiefs before the NFL’s trade deadline. In exchange, the Chiefs will provide a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft, which could elevate to a fourth-round pick if Hopkins plays at least 60 percent of the snaps and the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl.
The Titans will also absorb $2.5 million of Hopkins’ remaining salary, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Hopkins initially signed a two-year, $26 million deal with the Titans as a free agent in 2023. In his first season in Tennessee, he registered 75 catches for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns, but his performance has declined in 2024, accumulating just 15 catches for 173 yards and one touchdown over six games.
Now, Hopkins will get an opportunity to team up with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, while the Titans continue to accumulate draft assets for their roster renovation, similar to other recent receiver trades such as Davante Adams moving to the New York Jets and Amari Cooper joining the Buffalo Bills.
The Titans’ decision to trade Hopkins can be attributed to several factors. Primarily, with a disappointing 1-5 start to the season, they are not positioned as contenders in 2024, making it a strategic decision to trade Hopkins—whose contract is set to expire—for valuable assets to aid in their rebuilding process.
Hopkins’ declining production under head coach Brian Callahan also contributed to the trade. Currently on track for career lows in receptions and yards, it seems unlikely he would re-sign with the Titans, especially since he might prefer joining a competitive team in search of a Super Bowl ring as he approaches his mid-30s.
Additionally, by trading Hopkins, the Titans will save approximately $8 million against their salary cap for the rest of the 2024 season. Although they are taking on $2.5 million of his salary, the move alleviates a significant financial burden, with only moderate dead-cap penalties ahead.
The Chiefs emerged as an advantageous trading partner, needing wide receiver support after injuries to their key players, including Rashee Rice. They were also intent on not giving up a top-100 draft pick, which made the acquisition of Hopkins a feasible option for both teams.
Despite the trade, the Titans should be relatively stable at the wide receiver position. They have signed Calvin Ridley to a substantial contract this offseason and retained veteran Tyler Boyd. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is expected to step up in three-receiver sets to replace Hopkins, giving the Titans sufficient options as they assess Will Levis’s potential as a long-term starter, a key focus for the franchise in the 2024 season.