With NFL free agency (probably) set to kickoff in a few hours, Peter King wrote this morning that All-Pro WR DeAndre Hopkins could be available via trade this offseason. This is a bit shocking, especially since Hopkins has been one of, if not the best WR in the NFL the past few years, but as King points out, the Texans have a lot of roster needs and little draft capital. Thus, they probably figure they could get at least a first round pick back for Hopkins to rebuild the roster a little bit.
You could argue the Texans should get more in return in a Hopkins trade than the Giants did for Odell Beckham Jr., which was a 1st and 3rd rounder. And with the upcoming draft so loaded at WR, you can sort of understand the thinking. However, Hopkins is still very, very good and trading him would be a tough sell to the fans.
With the news now out there and a bunch of other moves set to take place, the Complex Sports team decided to put together a list of five teams that should absolutely look to trade for Hopkins this offseason.
New England Patriots
This is pretty much contingent on where Tom Brady decides to play next season, but if Brady does return to the Patriots, they should absolutely go after Hopkins. The team desperately needed new weapons last season and Hopkins would be the perfect target for Brady going forward.
Philadelphia Eagles
It's no secret that the Eagles desperately need to improve their WR group. Alshon Jeffery is getting older and has been consistently hurt the past few years. The rest of the group is incredibly unproven. They've been linked to just about every big name WR that has hit the trade market in recent memory, so it would make complete sense to make a run at Hopkins. And don't forget, the Eagles have some two 3rd round picks this year, which makes them a dangerous player in this.
Las Vegas Raiders
Like the Eagles, the Raiders have extra draft picks this year that they can use in trades. Also, when have the Raiders never not been aggressive in going after big talent? The Antonio Brown experiment obviously failed, but that shouldn't stop them from trying to bulk up their WR core, which is lacking overall.
Green Bay Packers
Fans have been pleading with the Packers front office to bulk up their WR core for years. Well, this may finally be the perfect opportunity to get Aaron Rodgers some help and bolster an offense that probably needs a boost. Hopkins would pair perfectly with Davante Adams on the outside and give the Packers renewed life in the competitive NFC.
San Francisco 49ers
Yes, the 49ers went to a Super Bowl last year with a solid and young WR group, but you can always stand to improve. And adding DeAndre Hopkins would certainly be a big improvement to their offense and help bring the best out of Jimmy G. The 49ers were also in on the Beckham trade talks, so it would be no surprise to see them chase after Hopkins, too.
