As the Chiefs Kingdom woke up Wednesday morning, they learned that General Manager Brett Veach had made a brilliant move for his football team and quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. According to reports, the Chiefs will send a conditional fifth-round pick to the Tennessee Titans for Wide Receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
The two teams already made a blockbuster trade this year when the Chiefs sent Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennesee Titans for a 2025 third-round pick. At midnight, the teams made another trade, sending a conditional 2025 fifth-round pick to the Titans for Wide Receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
Ironically, before Sneed was traded to the Titans, I suggested swapping Hopkins for Sneed. Little did I know that six months later, they finished the other end of the deal.
Throughout Tuesday, the Chiefs were in serious talks with the Los Angeles Rams regarding wide receiver Cooper Kupp, but it became clear the price was too high. That led to some late-night conversations that tuned the Chiefs’ attention to Hopkins and the Titans.
I can’t see a downside to the deal, even if the pick is elevated to a fourth-round selection for the Chiefs to make this move. Yes, there is some concern about Hopkins knee, but the Chiefs rolled the dice on the best wide receiver in the trade market.
He’s a perfect fit for Kansas City, and Patrick Mahomes has a veteran receiver who, despite being in the over-30 club, still has some juice left. With the injury to JuJu Smith-Schuster, who will miss several weeks with a strained hamstring, adding another receiver with a knee issue is risky, but with the Titans eating the majority of the contract, this was a risk worth taking for Veach.
So what does Hopkins have left in the tank?
That’s a good question, but Hopkins’ presence on the field will allow less focus on speedster Xavier Worhty as he stretches his NFL legs and gains more experience. Hopkins will also open up passing lanes for tight ends Travis Kelce and Noah Gray.
The Chiefs understand their Three-Peat window is now, and with two weeks left before the trade deadline, they might not be done adding pieces to the roster. This morning, they added a big prize that could help their quest to become the greatest NFL team of all time.
