As of this article, former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is on the open market and has the possibility of joining a true title contender that can compete for the NFL’s grandest prize of all, a Super Bowl championship, as well as a chance to hoist the iconic Vince Lombardi trophy.
Hopkins would make a great fit with the Baltimore Ravens, especially with the additions of offensive coordinator Todd Manken before the season started and Odell Beckham Jr. during free agency. Unfortunately, no one will get to see a Lamar Jackson deep pass to Hopkins anytime soon.
The Raven’s Salary Cap
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Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (8) – Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA TODAY Sports
As many know, Lamar Jackson re-signed with the Ravens for a five-year $260 million deal with $185 million guaranteed. The Ravens currently have $12.1 million on hand, according to Spotrac, which by NFL standards isn’t a lot to entice another huge-name wide receiver. If the Ravens were to sign Hopkins, he would have to take a pay cut. OBJ did sign with the Ravens for a one-year deal worth $18 million.
Hopkins is one of those wide receivers who have the luxury of bidding his time for a huge payday. If Hopkins were to sign with the Ravens, he would also sign a one-year deal worth $20 million. The problem is that the Ravens will need what’s left of their liquid assets to sign other necessary needs. On their shopping list is their need for defensive backs.
Before signing another superstar wide receiver to the roster, the Ravens will need to make strategic cuts before the start of the 2023 season if they want to be in a competitive position with the needed cash on hand.
Star Power isn’t Everything
Shield your eyes! As exciting and entertaining as it would be to see a wild Ravens offense with Jackson throwing the ball to DeAndre Hopkins and Odell Beckham Jr… too many huge star names on a roster can be a complicated shiny mix.
Back in 2011, the Philadelphia Eagles loaded up on star power by acquiring Vince Young, Jason Babin, and Nnamdi Asomugha to a roster already consisting of Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson, and LeSean McCoy. That Eagles team was called the “Dream Team” by Young before the team ultimately flopped and finished that season with an 8-8 record. All they were left with was hype and no reward.
The Ravens have not built their reputation on many big names on their previous rosters. The Raven’s identity has been chiefly on defense throughout the team’s history by developing names such as Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and Terrell Suggs to become superstars. That changed with OBJ joining the team.
On top of that, DeAndre Hopkins drew attention, for all the wrong reasons, off the field last season with a failed drug test. This led the NFL to suspend the wideout for six games of the 2022 season. He would finish the 2022 season with 64 receptions with 717 yards and scored three touchdowns with the Arizona Cardinals.
Long Term Success is better than Short Term Success Reward
Former Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins (10) – Norm Hall/Getty Images
Even though short-term reward sounds awesome on paper, the reality is long-term success is what any organization wants to achieve, no matter who the athlete is. As of this article, Hopkins is a 31-year-old player who has the opportunity to be an anchor to the younger talent on any team he lands with. Some of Hopkins’ many accomplishments include his six 1,000-receiving-yard seasons and his five Pro Bowl appearances.
Rashod Bateman is 23 years old as of this article and is looking to have a breakout year despite a couple of injury setbacks in his first two seasons in the league.
Even though the Ravens may not be the right home for Hopkins, he could be a much better fit on a true Super Bowl contender such as the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, the defending runner-up Philadelphia Eagles, or the Cincinnati Bengals- who are in win-now mode.
The Ravens are a playoff-caliber team with a lot of truly talented athletes on the field. Unfortunately, due to Lamar Jackson’s contract, a scenario that teams him up with DeAndre Hopkins will never happen. The Ravens already have Odell Beckham JR. and Mark Andrews as Lamar’s best deep targets as of 2023, and they are looking to develop third-year receiver Bateman for a potential breakout year.
No matter where DeAndre Hopkins goes, it will be very exciting to see him develop and potentially win a championship with his new team this coming season. The Ravens will continue to build their roster with strong contenders like OBJ and Rashod Bateman.
