The shocking NFL offseason took another twist when the Arizona Cardinals released standout wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on May 26. The move sounded a Pavlovian bell among NFL GMs looking to bolster their ball catchers before the start of the 2023 season.
While teams salivate over Hopkins, NFL odds are quick to open on Nuk’s next team. Some sportsbooks, like DraftKings, already had this market on the board since February.
We take a look at the NFL clubs at the top of the DeAndre Hopkins “Next Team” odds and single out the franchises that have the available money to make a run at the sure-handed wideoutwho could easily turn around any team's Super Bowl odds.
DeAndre Hopkins' 2023 team odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
 Buffalo Bills |
+300 |
 Kansas City Chiefs |
+400 |
 Baltimore Ravens |
+650 |
 New York Jets |
+700 |
 New England Patriots |
+900 |
 L.A. Chargers |
+1,000 |
 Jacksonville Jaguars |
+1,200 |
 Detroit Lions |
+1,200 |
 Philadelphia Eagles |
+2,000 |
 Cleveland Browns |
+2,000 |
 Dallas Cowboys |
+2,500 |
 San Francisco 49ers |
+2,500 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings, as of May 29, 2023.
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DeAndre Hopkins' situation at a glance
With the Arizona Cardinals hitting the reset button and QB Kyler Murray likely parked for a good part — if not all of 2023 — while recovering from a knee injury, Arizona released the five-time Pro Bowl receiver after three seasons in the desert.
DeAndre Hopkins was healthy for his first year in Arizona, finishing with 1,407 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games in 2020. He would play just 19 total games in the next two seasons, posting 572 yards while limited to 10 games due to multiple injuries in 2021, and had 717 yards in nine outings last season after being suspended for the first six games due to PED use. He scored 17 total touchdowns in 35 games for the Cards.
Hopkins looked like his old self after returning from that six-game ban in Week 7 of last season and recorded 262 yards receiving and a touchdown in his first two games back. However, those numbers would dip after Murray suffered a concussion in November and eventually a torn ACL in Week 14, leaving Hopkins without his QB1.
Hopkins was slated to make $19.5 million in 2023 and after veteran WR Odell Beckham Jr. signed with Baltimore for $15 million this offseason, the market has to be higher for Hopkins. He's a much healthier option and a better receiver than Beckham, who hasn't played since injuring his knee in the L.A. Rams' Super Bowl LV victory in February 2022.
While Hopkins has stated that he's looking for solid teams with good rosters and a smart front office, at this juncture in his NFL career the 30-year-old won't be dishing out any discounts for his services. He wants to get paid.
Favorites to acquire DeAndre Hopkins
Buffalo Bills +300
The Buffalo Bills are at the top of the odds for Hopkins’ next team, but salary expectations could snuff out any chance of Buffalo combining Hopkins’ Hall of Fame hands with Josh Allen’s rocket arm. While those talents go together like hot sauce and ranch, Buffalo would need to do some creative cap juggling to find the needed funds to secure D-Hop.
Adding Hopkins to the receiving depth chart of Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Dawson Knox, and Dalton Kincaid would boost the Bills’ chances of winning a very competitive AFC East and perhaps get them over the hump in the conference chase. But does a guy who’s played his entire pro career on the fast indoor tracks in Houston and Arizona really want to be battling the blowing snow squalls in Orchard Park at his age? Nah.
Kansas City Chiefs +400
The rich could just keep getting richer. Kansas City proved it could win with a mishmash of receivers and all-world TE Travis Kelce. It’s banking on guys like Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore to take the next step in 2023, but Hopkins would be an immediate top target for Patrick Mahomes.
Kansas City also has its hands tied when it comes to open money to throw at Hopkins, who the Chiefs were actively courting in a possible trade this winter. According to Albert Breer of TheMMQB, the Beckham signing in Baltimore salted the earth on that deal with its steep price tag.
That said, Kansas City was the second overall choice to get Hopkins at +450 when these odds opened in February and that’s moved to +400 over the spring.
Baltimore Ravens +650
Think the Baltimore Ravens have buyer’s remorse over Odell Beckham Jr.? Baltimore gave the veteran WR $15 million despite missing last season while recovering from a knee injury and very publicly being a complete asshole on an airplane.
The Ravens were at +900 odds when the Hopkins’ next team odds opened in the winter, and despite the Beckham signing and a lack of funds (less than $12 million cap space), the team’s need to give Lamar Jackson reliable targets trumps the cap space questions facing this team.
Baltimore does have wiggle room in the way OBJ’s deal was set up, allowing them to defer a good chunk of that paycheck to next year, and could do something similar for Hopkins. However, he wants money now and the Ravens just don’t have it on hand.
New York Jets +700
Aaron Rodgers is getting a fresh start in New York. Why not Nuk? The Jets have some cap space to play with if they can spin some other deals to free up money for 2023, but it’s not rocket science for any GM worth their office chair. Adding Hopkins to a promising receiving corps could send the hype on Gang Green over the top, with the Jets already among the movers and shakers in future odds this offseason.
Rodgers lacked a No. 1 option in Green Bay last year with Davante Adams dealt to Las Vegas and would thrive with the go-get-it game of Hopkins, who at 6-foot-1 can muscle for any jump ball tossed his way. Adding that to a group of Garrett Wilson, Mecole Hardman, and Allen Lazard would make New York one of the best potential two-way teams in the NFL.
New England Patriots +900
New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien has a history with Hopkins, which could be good or bad. The receiver would be able to jump right into a familiar playbook in New England. That said, Hopkins is lukewarm on O’Brien.
According to Hopkins, there was no relationship between him and O’Brien, who was head coach in Houston during Hopkins’ final six seasons with the Texans. Just imagine the warm fuzzy feelings he’d get from Bill Belichick.
The Pats have the cap space to back up the Brinks truck for D-Hop and need a No. 1 receiver bad. New England was priced as a +350 favorite to land Hopkins when these odds opened in February and are now offering almost triple that in return.
Los Angeles Chargers +1,000
Yes, yes, and yes. The Los Angeles Chargers would be a fantastic fit for Hopkins, who could play out his career in the sun and fun of La-La Land. The Bolts have one of the best young QBs in the league in Justin Herbert, who Hopkins singled out among the select passers he would love to catch balls from this coming season.
Los Angeles (which opened at 15/1 to add Hopkins) has a brand-new offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore who loves to chuck it, and a solid receiving corps headlined by Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, who could stand to share some of the load considering neither can stay healthy.
On top of it all, L.A. has almost $13 million in cap space to play with and could free up more with restructuring. If the Chargers are going to compete with the Chiefs (and not let K.C. get him), Hopkins could be the key. Or the Bolts could settle for being a borderline playoff team. Again.
Detroit Lions +1,200
If any contending team could hand Hopkins the bag, it’s the Detroit Lions. Detroit has $25-plus million in cap space for 2023 and could use some receiving help after No. 3 WR Jameson Williams was suspended for six games due to violating the league’s gambling policy.
Hopkins would line up alongside fellow wideouts Amon-Ra St. Brown and Marvin Jones Jr. for a Lions passing game that ranked No. 3 in EPA per dropback with Jared Goff under center. Detroit is a franchise on the rise, contending for the NFC North with Rodgers’ departure from Green Bay, and head coach Dan Campbell is the guy people want to play for.
