The Cleveland Browns don’t need to overpay for DeAndre Hopkins

The Cleveland Browns may not need to worry about overpaying for DeAndre Hopkins

The talk of the NFL world right now, including the ClevelandBrowns fandom, centers around the free agency of DeAndre Hopkins. Once the most feared deep threat in the NFL, a trade in 2020 saw Hopkins get shipped from the Houston Texans to the Arizona Cardinals. Somehow, despite how little the Texans got back, the trade ended up being equally as bad for both sides. The Cardinals did not get prime Hopkins.

Instead, they got a player who missed a significant amount of time in two different seasons due to PED suspensions and injuries. His yards-per-reception were among the lowest of his career, as were his yards per game. For all intents and purposes, Hopkins isn’t what he was. Yet, many in the blogosphere still think the former All-Pro receiver is going to demand top dollar.

Why? Reasons. Hopkins and his group have not said what they’re looking for, and the teams he’s rumored to go to, which includes the Browns, have not leaked what he’s asking for. Likely suggesting the number isn’t so preposterous.

DeAndre Hopkins may not be asking for a huge contract from teams like the Cleveland Browns

He did sign on with Klutch Sports, which is notorious for getting players contracts they can’t live up to, and so that’s part of the narrative. Another one is how much Odell Beckham got from the Baltimore Ravens. Fans are trying to correlate that signing with the idea that a busted former Pro Bowler is still worth X amount of money.

But what no one seems to realize is the Ravens were desperate to keep Lamar Jackson and overpaid Beckham. None of the other teams in play are likely to overpay for Hopkins simply because no one needs him like the Ravens needed Beckham.

It’s very likely that Hopkins takes a one-year, prove-it, type of deal and if so, the Browns are the perfect landing spot for that.