Five-time Pro Bowler appears to shut down Bills rumor
Despite a recent rumor that the Buffalo Bills would be interested in All-Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins if he lowered his asking price, the 31-year-old free agent has dismissed that idea.
Appearing on Monday's episode of "The Rich Eisen Show," ESPN's Jeff Darlington reported that Buffalo would "love" to sign Hopkins, but only if he intends to "ring chase." Hopkins is reportedly seeking a deal in the ballpark of the one-year, $15M contract Odell Beckham Jr. signed with the Baltimore Ravens during free agency.
"My understanding with the Bills is, yeah, they love DeAndre Hopkins, and he'd be a great addition, but they're not gonna pay him. If he wants to ring chase, there's a spot for him," Darlington said.
It wasn't until Tuesday for Darlington's comment to really gain some traction before Hopkins caught wind of it after seeing an Instagram post by a Bleacher Report account. Upon seeing the post, Hopkins replied with two bull and two poop emojis in the comment section, effectively shutting down the speculation.
Earlier this offseason, it seemed as though Buffalo was the front-runner to land Hopkins, who appeared to drop several hints that he'd like to team up with quarterback Josh Allen. Outside linebacker Von Miller even said in April that Hopkins told him that he wanted to sign with Buffalo.
However, as the offseason progressed, it gradually became more evident that Hopkins joining the Bills wouldn't work out financially since he’s hoping to sign one final lucrative contract before retiring.
Last month, Hopkins visited the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots. Both teams are able to offer him the deal he’s searching for and provide an opportunity to be a focal point in their respective offenses. As of now, though, it seems that the Titans might have an edge in landing the five-time Pro Bowler.
According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, Tennessee, and New England have each made Hopkins offers, but the Titans have been the "more aggressive" of the two. Reiss notes that Hopkins is yet to sign a deal in case another team joins the race for his services.
Wherever Hopkins ends up, that team will land one of this decade's top pass-catchers still in the prime of his career. Although he played just nine games last season, Hopkins was the Cardinals' leading receiver, recording 717 yards and three touchdowns.
With the Patriots and Titans requiring their veterans to report to training camp on July 25, a Hopkins decision should come relatively soon.
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