If in quarterback Lamar Jackson’s view “running can only take you so far” within the trendy NFL, how far would signing three-time All-Pro extensive receiver DeAndre Hopkins take the Ravens?
With the Arizona Cardinals releasing Hopkins on Friday, it’s a query value asking. It’s additionally a sophisticated one.
Hopkins stated on the “I Am Athlete” podcast final week that Jackson is one in every of his favourite athletes and he would welcome the chance to crew up with the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player. Likewise, Jackson throughout his contract extension negotiations with Baltimore requested the group if it was attainable to accumulate Hopkins, together with Odell Beckham Jr. So, the mutual admiration is there.
But whereas the Ravens added Beckham, it appears unlikely they’ll land Hopkins, too.
Already, basic supervisor Eric DeCosta instructed Jackson that it might be too expensive to accumulate each star receivers. But that was when Hopkins was nonetheless on the Cardinals’ roster and the rebuilding crew was seeking to commerce him. Now that the five-time Pro Bowl choice is hitting the open market, all it might price the Ravens is cash.
Still, it’s not that straightforward.
First, there are different potential suitors, notably the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. Both are championship-caliber groups led by celebrity quarterbacks that may be instantly elevated with the addition of a receiver who has produced 11,298 yards and 71 touchdowns over 10 seasons and has a few of the finest fingers within the sport. Both groups would additionally must get inventive with simply $1.4 million and $652,000 in wage cap house, respectively, in accordance with Over The Cap.
There are different groups with attainable curiosity, too. The New York Jets misplaced out on Beckham however may use a longtime star on the place for quarterback Aaron Rodgers and have extra cap house ($6.4 million) than the Bills and Chiefs. The Cleveland Browns even have simply over $6.9 million in cap house and Hopkins’ former quarterback Deshaun Watson. The two spent three seasons along with the Houston Texans, and Watson stated Tuesday he would “love” to have Hopkins in Cleveland. The New York Giants, Detroit Lions and New England Patriots are additionally in want of a No. 1 extensive receiver, and the Dallas Cowboys are at all times within the dialog in terms of including stars.
Where do the Ravens slot in?
It’s been famous advert nauseam that the Ravens’ extensive receivers completed final within the NFL in receiving yards final season and that the place has traditionally been a weak spot for the crew. Adding Beckham, who missed all of final season whereas he recovered from a torn ACL, veteran Nelson Agholor and first-round choose Zay Flowers to pair with a wholesome Rashod Bateman, who underwent season-ending foot surgical procedure after six video games final 12 months, will definitely change that. Including Hopkins, although, would give the Ravens the dominant exterior receiver they’ve by no means had and elevate the room into maybe probably the greatest within the league.
They even have the assets to take action with $11.8 million in cap house. Though a few of that can get eaten up once they signal Flowers and inevitably fill different wants, they may discover the required room by restructuring some gamers’ contracts to push extra cap cash into the long run, even when DeCosta has been reticent to take action up to now.
In a vacuum, it would appear to be a no brainer to signal Hopkins. But there are myriad questions, challenges and dangers of doing so.
For one, Hopkins has missed 15 video games over the previous two seasons due to accidents and a suspension final 12 months for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug coverage. For one other, he turns 31 in June.
While loads of receivers have had success into their 30s — together with former Raven Derrick Mason after he arrived from the Tennessee Titans in 2005 — it’s not the norm. And after Hopkins missed simply two video games his first eight years within the NFL, a hamstring harm and torn MCL brought on him to overlook six in 2021. He has additionally battled an ankle concern in recent times and his addition would give the Ravens three receivers 30 or older alongside Beckham and Agholor.
Then there’s the very fact, as new offensive coordinator Todd Monken identified earlier this month, that there’s “only one ball” to go round.
Sure, profitable makes issues simpler in that regard, as Jackson stated final week. But between Hopkins, Beckham, Bateman, Flowers, Agholor, tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely and working backs J.Okay. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, that’s a variety of mouths to feed, accidents not withstanding. The addition of Hopkins, who has averaged simply over 10 targets per sport in his profession, would make it that a lot more durable for others to get the quantity of touches they need.
Yet, there’s no denying Hopkins’ expertise and what he would convey to Baltimore.
Over the previous three seasons, he has dropped simply three passes on 315 targets, good for the bottom price of any receiver within the NFL who has been focused not less than 175 occasions in that span. He would immediately turn into Jackson’s No. 1 goal in a division and convention through which the Ravens must catch up by the air with an offense that each Monken and Jackson have stated will throw extra. And he’s in all probability a future Hall of Famer.
But the higher query than how far Hopkins would take the Ravens is, would he be value it?
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Source: www.bostonherald.com