Another name is about to be off the wide receiver market, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported this morning that the Tennessee Titans are trading WR DeAndre Hopkins to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Per NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, the deal is for a fifth-round pick that can turn into a fourth-rounder and is in the process of being finalized.
The 6-0 Chiefs, who have won back-to-back Super Bowls, are at the top of the AFC. But they’ve been decimated by injuries to their wide receiver room, losing Rashee Rice, Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster to injuries with both Rice and Brown expected to miss the rest of the season. They make a big move to acquire Hopkins, who has 15 receptions for 173 yards with the Titans this season.
The Steelers have been in the market for wide receiver help all offseason. After missing out on trading for Brandon Aiyuk and Davante Adams, they now also miss out on Hopkins. There was no real link between the Steelers and Hopkins, but he was rumored to be on the market, and the Steelers have been exploring all avenues when it comes to trading for a wide receiver.
With Hopkins off the board, the top names who could potentially be traded ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline are Cooper Kupp, Christian Kirk and Mike Williams, who has been linked to Pittsburgh.
Per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Chiefs also discussed acquiring Kupp before making the trade for Hopkins.
Hopkins should immediately become the No. 1 wideout for Kansas City ahead of rookie Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson. His production will likely take a jump with Patrick Mahomes as his quarterback, and with the Steelers and Chiefs set to play in Week 15, Hopkins is someone the Steelers will have to game plan for.
He had four receptions for 60 yards against the Steelers last season, but Joey Porter Jr. locked him up when he was covering Hopkins in what wound up being his breakout game. Porter would undoubtedly like to do the same thing again on Christmas Day.
