DeAndre Hopkins Trade: WR Picks Bills Over Patriots and Jets Without Saying a Word
As the 2023 NFL Draft approaches, the DeAndre Hopkins trade rumors are heating up. If the Arizona Cardinals do get rid of their five-time Pro Bowl pass-catcher, it will likely be in the days leading up to, or even the first round of, the draft. Hopkins has stayed relatively quiet on the matter, but he recently “told” CBS Sports that he’d prefer the Buffalo Bills or Kansas City Chiefs over the New England Patriots or New York Jets, all without saying a word.
DeAndre Hopkins trade to Bills or Chiefs would make WR happy
DeAndre Hopkins recently spoke with former NFL defensive back Bryant McFadden for the latter’s All Things Covered podcast from CBS Sports.
To wrap up the interview, McFadden told Hopkins he would name some potential DeAndre Hopkins trade destinations, and the receiver should indicate how he felt about moving to that team without words.
“I want your body language or your facial expression to determine like, ‘oooh, would I like that spot?’ if the Cardinals wanted to trade you,” McFadden said.
The first team the interviewer pulled out was the Patriots. Hopkins thought for a second, then turned away from the camera with an unimpressed look on his face. Sorry, Bill Belichick, it doesn’t seem like the three-time All-Pro wants to be in Foxborough.
Next, McFadden mentioned the Bills.
Hopkins looked directly into the camera, raised his eyebrows, and smiled. So, it seems good for Josh Allen and company in Western New York.
The Jets were next, and they got that same Patriots look-away. Finally, the Chiefs wrapped it up, and Hopkins gave the same half-smile and interested eyebrow raise when McFadden mentioned the defending Super Bowl champs.
In the end, the big takeaway is it seems like Hopkins is interested in the teams that have been closest to the Super Bowl in recent years, and the Bills and the Chiefs (surely along with Allen and Patrick Mahomes) pique his interest more than the Patriots or Jets.
Where is the best fit for the Cardinals WR?
The Cardinals need to make a DeAndre Hopkins trade this offseason. He doesn’t want to be there. He doesn’t get along with quarterback Kyler Murray. And Murray is out for a while anyway with a knee injury, so Arizona should use this opportunity to build the roster around him as much as they can.
A trade seems immanent but to where?
The Jets want to put as many weapons around Aaron Rodgers as possible, even though their WRs are already pretty good. Plus, with Rodgers’ contract in the door, it may be hard to fit a WR1 like Hopkins.
New England can afford Hopkins, no problem, and they need him. Right now, the team’s wideouts are JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, Tre Nixon, DeVante Parker, Lynn Bowden Jr., Kendrick Bourne, and Raleigh Webb. That’s not horrific, but not great, either.
The Chiefs could use a true No. 1, but they got by pretty well last season (with a Super Bowl trophy) without one. Plus, if they didn’t want to pay Tyreek Hill WR1 money, why would they pay Hopkins like that?
That leaves the Bills as the best DeAndre Hopkins trade destination. Yes, the team has publically said they are out on the Cardinals WR. However, the team needs to get better and more explosive on offense immediately, and Hopkins would help do that.
Hopkins wants to go to Buffalo. The Bills need him, the Bills Mafia would love him, and everyone would be happy. That’s why the Bills are the best fit.
