Mike Vrabel asked about Titans' potential interest in DeAndre Hopkins
The Tennessee Titans’ approach, or lack thereof, to upgrading the wide receiver position since trading A.J. Brown has been a point of contention amongst the team’s supporters. It doesn’t take much for Titans fans to get excited about newly available pass-catchers, but DeAndre Hopkins is stirring up all sorts of enthusiasm amongst the fanbase who […]
The Tennessee Titans’ approach, or lack thereof, to upgrading the wide receiver position since trading A.J. Brown has been a point of contention amongst the team’s supporters.
It doesn’t take much for Titans fans to get excited about newly available pass-catchers, but DeAndre Hopkins is stirring up all sorts of enthusiasm amongst the fanbase who is willing to toss realism to the side, if only for a brief moment.
It’s impossible to blame Titans fans for getting fired up about the possibility of adding a generational talent in Hopkins to the roster. After all, signings such as Carl Pickens, David Givens, Eric Moulds, Randy Moss, Andre Johnson and Julio Jones have paved the way for star wideouts on the back nine of their careers to wash away in Tennessee.
With that being said, the 31-year-old Hopkins still has plenty of gas in the tank. He recorded 717 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 64 receptions with the Arizona Cardinals in 2022. He would have led the Titans in receiving all while playing in just nine games.
Titans head coach Mike Vrabel worked alongside D-Hop in Houston from 2014-2016. Though Vrabel’s focus was on the defensive side of the football, there is familiarity between the two. When asked about the possibility of the team pursuing Hopkins, Vrabel answered the only was he knows how.
“I think our focus has always been about the players that we have here. We’ll keep you updated as we continue to add players to the roster.”
Never change, Vrabes.
If there is one organization who should know the impact Hopkins has on the field it is the Titans. In 14 games against Tennessee, Hopkins has compiled 89 catches for 1,396 yards and nine touchdowns.
It’s unlikely that Hopkins would want to join a team with the instability at the quarterback position that the Titans currently have with Ryan Tannehill entering the final year on his contract. But money is the great equalizer. The Titans are tight on cap space in 2023 with only $8.4 million remaining, but have $80.4 million to work with in 2024.
Even though the odds of landing Hopkins are low, the Titans owe it to themselves to make a legitimate push for his services. There are plenty of hurdles the team must jump through, but if GM Ran Carthon is truly committed to exploring all avenues in order to improve the roster, the Titans should make him say no to a lucrative offer he might not receive from teams in better position to compete for a Super Bowl.
Featured image via Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK
