Will the Chiefs or Bills Sign DeAndre Hopkins? Which Team Would Be a Better Fit?

It’s a massive surprise that the Arizona Cardinals released DeAndre Hopkins without getting anything in return. Other NFL teams, especially legitimate contenders, would like to have the five-time All-Pro wide receiver.

Instead, they’ve allowed Hopkins to walk away and move on. Because of the release's timing, the Cardinals are also absorbing a $22 million dead cap this season. Letting him go after June 1 would have allowed Arizona to soften the blow by splitting that value over two seasons.

Trade talks intensified after the five-time Pro Bowler requested a trade. The Cardinals should have had the leverage, considering that Hopkins had a solid 2022 season despite missing six games due to violating the league’s policy against performance-enhancing drugs.

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Hopkins an Unrestricted Free Agent

Some reports reveal that the Cardinals requested a first-round pick from potential trade partners. However, no one wanted to pay that steep price.

As his three-year stint in Arizona ends, the former Clemson standout can negotiate with any team. He did hint at some teams he wanted to play for in this tweet by CBS Sports.

While that video was shared before his release, he preferred the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs as potential destinations. Will the two AFC powerhouses make the moves to land the NFL’s 2017 receiving touchdowns leader?

The Bills and the Chiefs Have Competition in Landing Hopkins

If the Bills and the Chiefs are serious about getting Hopkins, they must clear cap space to meet his monetary demands. He hopes to receive a deal similar to what Odell Beckham Jr. will get from the Baltimore Ravens. Beckham signed a one-year, $15 million to catch passes from Lamar Jackson. He can earn up to $18 million due to incentives.

Buffalo or Kansas City can structure an incentive-laden contract that allows Hopkins to get the amount he wants. But even then, both teams don’t have enough cap space to offer a respectable base salary for a player of Hopkins’ caliber.

The Bills currently have $1.3 million in cap space, while the Chiefs are at a little over $650,000 per Over The Cap. They must release more players to free up space and meet Hopkins’ desired value.

However, they must do it quickly because DeAndre Hopkins has been dropping hints about other teams talking with him. He had this Instagram story showing the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl LI comeback.

He also had an Instagram story about driving outside Houston’s NRG Stadium. If all goes well, he could return to the team that drafted him 27^th overall in 2013.

Finally, he also had an IG story with dog emojis, possibly about the Cleveland Browns Dawg Pound. Joining the AFC North squad will reunite him with Deshaun Watson.

Therefore, the Bills and the Chiefs cannot rely on their championship caliber to land DeAndre Hopkins. They must make the necessary moves to entice the wideout to don their uniform.

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