Veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is ready to get the next stage of his career underway. After waiting multiple months to find a new team to play for, DeAndre Hopkins finally found a home with the Tennessee Titans.
The Titans signed him to a two-year deal weeks after the Arizona Cardinals released him. Arizona attempted to trade him, but no deal ever materialized as teams didn’t meet their asking price and had some reservations about taking on his contract.
It was easy to understand why other teams were hesitant as DeAndre Hopkins was owed a lot of money. He continues to play at a high level, but availability is the best ability and in the last two seasons, the former All-Pro has failed in that regard.
After missing seven games during the 2021 campaign, DeAndre Hopkins missed eight more last season. It certainly didn’t impact him negatively on the field as he still caught 64 passes for 717 yards and three touchdowns in nine games.
He will be taking that production with him to the Music City, where he will assume a large role in the passing offense. But, what he is looking forward to the most about playing with the Titans is the chance to become a mentor for the younger receivers on the team.
“I approach it as a challenge to help those guys get to where they want to get to,” Hopkins said. “Obviously, it’s about the team, so whatever I can do to help those guys on and off the field, that’s what I’ll do.”
This isn’t the first time that he has been tasked with such a role. He played the mentorship role with Wil Fuller in 2016 and the Cardinals have had a number of young receivers on the team during his tenure in the desert.
One of the things that DeAndre Hopkins will look to instill in his teammates is the importance of practice. While his approach to the less glamorous part of the game has been questioned, it is something the five-time Pro Bowler believes has attributed to his success.
“As much as people say I don’t practice, I don’t think you can put up the type of numbers I have without practicing,” Hopkins said. “Of course that’s overblown. I think that started in Houston when they were trying to, well whatever. It’s overblown.”
His presence has already been felt and he will continue having an impact for as long as he can stay on the field. Prior to bringing DeAndre Hopkins to Tennessee, the Titans had the least intimidating wide receiver group in the NFL. 2022 Treylon Burks was the No. 1 option with Kyle Phillips, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Chris Moore behind him.
More must-reads: