NFL free agency opened earlier this month, and the Kansas City Chiefs have made additions, while several players from last year's roster have failed to get another opportunity quite yet.
The Chiefs released Jawaan Taylor, and that decision continues to look better by the day. At the same time, former Kansas City receiver DeAndre Hopkins has seen his career head in the opposite direction since leaving the Chiefs. Thus far this offseason, he hasn't been able to find a new job.
DeAndre Hopkins’s Post-Chiefs Career Hasn’t Been a Smooth Ride
Back in Oct. 2024, the Chiefs acquired Hopkins from the Tennessee Titans for a fifth-round pick. It was a move that Kansas City had little choice but to make as the team needed more dependable receivers. Over 10 games (five starts) with Kansas City, Hopkins was just that, as he contributred 41 catches for 437 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
The Chiefs decided to let him walk as a free agent, but since taking his talents elsewhere, his production has trended in the opposite direction. Hopkins joined the Baltimore Ravens for the 2025 season but saw career lows in targets (39), catches (22), receiving yards (330), and receiving yards per game (19.4).
Obviously, after that season, teams aren't lining up to sign Hopkins, which has led him to make some pleas during media appearances. He played in the Fanatics Flag Football game on March 21 and was teammates with Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow. Following the game, he took part in an interview with Kay Adams and expressed his willingness to play in the slot if needed.
Hopkins also praised Burrow, saying, "Joe Burrow is one of the best in the game. I've admired Joe since he was at LSU. Since he was beating up on my Clemson Tigers. I still love Joe. Joe is one of the best to do it."
And his public declarations didn't stop there, as Hopkins showed love to new Vikings QB Kyler Murray. When speaking with TMZSports, Hopkins expressed his desire to run things back with his former teammate.
"Whatever I can do for someone like that -- if Kyler needed me, if the Vikings need me, they know I'll be there," Hopkins stated.
It looks like Hopkins is making his rounds with media interviews and wants it known that he's looking for a job. Following his run with the Chiefs, he wasn't able to capitalize on his success, leaving him unsigned as we enter the last week of March.
Hopkins will be 34 years old when the 2026 season kicks off, and teams know that. Whether or not they decide to bring him on remains to be seen, but once he left the Chiefs, his career headed in the opposite direction. A once-dominant WR has struggled to get a new gig, and his last impactful season came in 2024 with the Chiefs.