When the Tennessee Titans landed wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on a two-year, $26 million deal before the 2023 season, league-wide expectations were low. Hopkins proved himself to still be one of the NFL's best in his 11th professional season.
Tennessee should make every effort to lock the veteran in beyond 2024.
75 catches for 1,057 yard and seven touchdowns at 31 years old was a godsend for a Titans passing game that had little else to lean on. Hopkins comes into his 12th year surrounded by significantly more help. The club acquired Calvin Ridley (4yr, $92M) and Tyler Boyd (1yr, $2.4M) to start in new coach Brian Callahan's offense alongside Hopkins this season.
All of this done in service of supporting sophomore quarterback Will Levis.
Not only has the veteran earned an extension on merit, but Hopkins has also embraced the city of Nashville and its culture as well as any free agent that has joined the team. His presence has helped break through the stigma associated with aging wide outs coming to the Titans at the end of their careers. Those sour feeling had been instilled in the fan base after experiences with NFL legends like Randy Moss, Andre Johnson and Julio Jones all failed for varying reasons.
Beyond that, Hopkins' skill set figures to age better than most receivers do into their 30s.
DeAndre Hopkins' versatility in the Titans offense
The best versions of both Hopkins and Ridley can be found when you deploy them in a variety of different spots in the offensive formation. Playing no less than 80.6% of Tennessee's offensive snaps in each of the 17 regular season games last year, Hopkins was featured on the outside (79.0%) and in the slot (20.3%) with great success. The Titans did not use Hopkins in-line with the offensive formation at any point in former coordinator Tim Kelly's offense last year, according to Pro Football Focus.
Adding Boyd this season, an exclusively slot player, will probably cut into Hopkins usage inside in Callahan's scheme.
If Boyd plays out his one-year deal in Tennessee, Hopkins has proven that it is a role he cannot only survive in, but thrive in. He is not at the peak of his powers at age 32. Hopkins is, however, the first wide receiver since A.J. Brown was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022 to eclipse the 1,000-yard receiving mark for this franchise.
The Titans would be wise to ensure Hopkins end his career in Nashville.
