The first wave of NFL free agency is in the books. The Buffalo Bills have made some shrewd, opportunistic moves, but still have obvious needs to fill. However, as has been the case all offseason, they are not expected to make a “big splash” this offseason due to their salary cap situation, which means this likely will be addressed in the NFL Draft. This describes the Bills 2023 offseason thus far, but also exactly describes the 2020 offseason.
Then GM Brandon Beane sent a package of draft picks (a first, fourth, fifth, and sixth round pick) to the Minnesota Vikings for Stefon Diggs and a fourth round pick.
Wednesday afternoon, the rumors started flying that Beane could be at work to trade for yet another superstar wide receiver during the second wave of free agency. As Daniel Jeremiah named the Buffalo Bills as the most likely landing spot for DeAndre Hopkins, and then rumors started flying as Hopkins followed Mac Jones and Dak Prescott on social media, the possibility of Beane striking again to add his desired “playmaker” cannot be ignored.
The question remains however, whether it is wise for the Buffalo Bills to go all-in to get Hopkins. Let’s look at the pros, cons, and financial implications of such a move.
DeAndre Hopkins Would be a huge upgrade for the Buffalo Bills offense
There is no doubt that DeAndre Hopkins is a unique talent. Drafted in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft by the Houston Texans, Hopkins has been a five time All-Pro and selected to five Pro Bowls. At 30 years old, he still projects to have at least a few years of production after still playing at an elite level following his return from a PED suspension that forced him to miss the start of the 2022 season with the Arizona Cardinals.
He returned last season to play nine games for the Cardinals, catching 64 passes for 717 yards and adding 3 TDs. He would immediately upgrade the Buffalo Bills wide receiver 2 option for Josh Allen and make the group, along with Diggs, Gabe Davis, Deonte Harty, Trent Sherfield and Khalil Shakir truly elite.
Beyond the elite on-field production, adding Hopkins would give the Bills such a unique set of receivers that it would create absolute nightmares for opposing defenses. One of the Bills priorities this offseason had to be improving their Yards After Catch, and Hopkins (along with Harty) would add a dynamic that the Bills just didn’t possess last season.
Trying to match up with Diggs and Hopkins off the line, while worrying about Davis on deep routes, and specific packages designed for Harty would make the Bills among the most difficult groups to match up within the league.
DeAndre Hopkins acquisition is not without risk
Honestly, the biggest con of adding Hopkins might be the egos involved. Stefon Diggs has been the top receiver in Buffalo since arriving in that 2020 trade and his displeasure with sharing that top spot with Adam Theilen in Minnesota was one of the driving factors behind that trade. Given Diggs’ displeasure at the way last season ended, and particularly with his usage (or lack thereof) over the second half of the season, it would definitely be a risk to give up anything significant to add a receiver of Hopkins’ stature.
Hopkins himself may also be a concern. He has a history of questionable decisions dating back to the NFL Combine in 2013 when his hotel room was left in a questionable state. He has denied taking PEDs, but his six-game suspension last season cannot be ignored. At times he has been criticized for not practicing during the week. Given the Buffalo Bills’ locker room culture, it is fair to wonder how adding another superstar who has at least some question marks would impact the team. These things tend to be alleviated at least temporarily when players change teams, and I am sure GM Brandon Beane has done his due diligence on Hopkins so fans should not worry too much about this.
The other major drawback to a Hopkins trade is the cost. The Cardinals are reportedly seeking a second round pick and something else of value. While this cost is not exorbitant for a player of Hopkins stature, the Bills have several other holes that still need to be filled. If they can add depth to their offensive and defensive lines and another tight end through low-cost acquisitions in the second and third waves of free agency, and enter the draft confident that they do not need to plug any of their early round picks in as starters for 2023, this should not stop the Bills from pulling the trigger on a Hopkins deal.
What fans need to be concerned about is the financial implications of a possible trade for Hopkins, which may be a con on the ledger, but deserves to be looked at on its own:
How Could the Bills Make the Finances Work?
The Buffalo Bills salary cap situation is well-known. They have made some wise decisions to open up room and brought back their own superstar safety Jordan Poyer on an incredibly team-friendly deal that has afforded them more financial flexibility this offseason than expected. However, they still have limited space, and Hopkins will not come cheaply.
Hopkins is currently under contract for 2 more seasons at $19.45 million and $14.915 million respectively. As is, he would not fit on the Bills roster with them remaining under the cap. Any deal would have to include restructuring of Hopkins deal. This could come in the form of moving some money to bonuses or working out some type of extension that would decrease the cap hit for Hopkins in the next year or two.
Brandon Beane has been able to work this type of deal consistently in order to maintain a solid cap situation, however given the large contracts the Bills have already committed to, along with restructuring the Bills would likely need to send a player with a large contract either back to Arizona, or out of Buffalo in a separate trade.
Ed Oliver seems like the most obvious candidate as he currently has a cap hit of over $10 million, has not developed into the star that the Bills had hoped for when they drafted him and does not seem to be part of the Bills long-term plans. If the Bills were to trade Oliver, look for them to be aggressive in filling holes on their defensive line early in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Should the Buffalo Bills trade for DeAndre Hopkins?
The Buffalo Bills could definitely make a trade for DeAndre Hopkins work. The upside of pairing him across the field from Diggs to give Josh Allen an elite group of weapons in the passing game is not something the Bills should pass on lightly. It seems like they have the pieces to make a deep playoff run and Hopkins is the type of acquisition that could take them from contenders to Super Bowl favorites.
As a fan, it is impossible not to root for Brandon Beane to find a way to add a player like DeAndre Hopkins. So, I guess since this is an article written by a fan, the short answer to the question “Should the Bills Trade for Wide Receiver DeAndre Hopkins?” is a simple “yes”.