The Kansas City Chiefs joined the wide receiver trade party with a big splash on Wednesday morning.
The Chiefs are finalizing a deal with the Tennessee Titans to acquire star receiver DeAndre Hopkins, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per sources informed of the situation.
Rapoport added that the deal is for a fifth-round pick that can become a fourth-rounder, and Tennessee is expected to eat some of Hopkins' remaining salary.
ESPN first reported the news.
Hopkins was always the most logical trade candidate to help fill the Chiefs' glaring hole at receiver. The big-play wideout started the season slowly, coming off an injury, but proved he still has juice and can win one-on-one matchups. His ability to snatch the pigskin in tight coverage hasn't diminished with age.
The Chiefs were one of the teams in the running to sign Hopkins in 2023 after his release from Arizona, but Tennessee outbid them. Now, K.C. has snagged its guy.
Adding the five-time Pro Bowler is a massive move for the 6-0 Chiefs as they chase a third consecutive Super Bowl. K.C.'s offseason plan to revamp its receiver corps went awry. Hollywood Brown got injured before the season. Rashee Rice suffered a knee injury in Week 4. Then JuJu Smith-Schuster went down with a hamstring injury last week.
The injuries left the Chiefs' receiver room in shambles, leaning on speedy rookie Xavier Worthy, Justin Watson, Mecole Hardman, and Skyy Moore. In Week 7, backup tight end Noah Gray led K.C. with 66 yards on four catches in a win over the 49ers.
In steps Hopkins.
The 32-year-old receiver has 173 yards and one touchdown on 15 catches in six games this season. He ranked second on the Titans in receiving yards (Calvin Ridley, 183). Tennessee doesn't have a single pass catcher with 200 receiving yards on the season. For perspective, 49ers No. 3 receiver Jauan Jennings had more yards in one game (175) than Hopkins has in the entire 2024 season. The passing attack simply hasn't been there for the Titans in Brian Callahan's first season with Will Levis and Mason Rudolph under center. Thus, Hopkins, in the final year of his contract, was a superfluous piece.
The Titans will move forward with Ridley and Tyler Boyd atop their depth chart.
The willingness for Tennessee to eat some of Hopkins' contract helped push the deal over the finish line for the Chiefs, who sit in the bottom quarter in terms of cap space, .
The Chiefs have gotten off to a 6-0 despite the offense's inability to sustain drives and pile-up points. Patrick Mahomes has just one 300-plus-yard passing performance on the season thus far. Despite being out for two games, Rice still leads K.C. in receiving yards.
With the lack of threats on the outside, teams have been able to smother star tight end Travis Kelce, taking away Mahomes' security blanket for most of the season. Worthy has flashed moments with his burning speed, but the rookie is still finding his way. K.C. spent the bulk of the past two years piecemealing the receiver room together, banking on the magic of Mahomes and Kelce to fill in the gaps. But the injuries this year forced the front office to make a move.
They made a massive one on Wednesday.
Adding Hopkins gives Mahomes a go-to target who can win on the outside and slots the rest of the crew into more comfortable roles. His presence allows Worthy to stretch the field and opens up the middle for Kelce.
The back-to-back Super Bowl champs and the only undefeated team in the NFL just got a whole lot better as they chase a three-peat.
