The Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiver room has been a talking point for most of the offseason, though for all the wrong reasons. It's not deep, and while the high-end talent might just be there, it's not unfair not to have questions.
That's why, with not many options still available, general manager Brett Veach may have to be creative if he wants to add some help at the position. They don't seem to be too eager to bring back Tyreek Hill or sign Stefon Diggs; otherwise, they would've done it already.
However, another former Chiefs player might make some sense for this team. And, after hearing DeAndre Hopkins' latest take on his potential role in year 14, he sounds like a perfect fit for what Patrick Mahomes may need.
Could a DeAndre Hopkins reunion be the missing piece for KC?
"I know in my position, I'm a utility guy. I'm a special situation kind of guy. I can go out there and beat anybody one-on-one at any time, but as of lately, I've been a third-down guy. I wasn't used in the red zone last year. But on third down, they're gonna put D-Hop in, they're gonna come to me. I don't think that'll change anytime soon," Hopkins told SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Of course, this move would be driven by desperation. They lost JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquise 'Hollywood' Brown, only adding rookie Cyrus Allen to the mix. Rashee Rice remains a question mark, and Xavier Worthy hasn't necessarily lived up to the hype.
Hopkins is coming off a season where he hauled in just 22 receptions on 39 targets for 330 yards and two touchdowns on a run-heavy Baltimore Ravens offense that put D-Hop out there on less than 33% of the snaps. In his brief tenure with the Chiefs, he had 41 catches on 59 targets for 437 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games (five starts).
At 34 years old, Hopkins is clearly not the same guy he once was, but the Chiefs don't need him to be a regular-season superstar. He will be asked to catch a few balls per game in special situations and red-zone opportunities, and it seems like he's completely fine with that. Age has humbled him, and Hopkins knows this might be his final shot to win a Super Bowl.
Of course, thinking DeAndre Hopkins will move the needle for the Chiefs at this point in his career is unrealistic and wishful thinking, but that doesn't mean they can't give this team a reliable chain-mover and a mismatch in crucial situations.
Hopkins has never been a burner. He's never relied on speed or separation to beat his coverage, but his hands are absolutely elite. He may have lost a step and may not run his full route tree anymore, but he's going to win in contested-catch situations.
At this point, the Chiefs don't have many options right now. Hopkins is already familiar with the organization and the offense, and it's hard to believe he wouldn't be an upgrade for the current core.
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