DeAndre Hopkins joining the Titans would be a waste of time for everyone

It’s Month 2 of DeAndre Hopkins’ journey to find a new NFL home. And as the days roll by, we are no closer to any definitive clarity. With training camp just around the corner, it would behoove Hopkins to make a choice soon. And apparently, the betting market knows something we don’t know about where the star receiver will play next.

On Wednesday, DraftKings named the Titans as -300 favorites to sign the 31-year-old Hopkins. This comes after the veteran was +500 to settle down in Nashville just a day prior. Hmm. That development seems way too fishy to be a mere coincidence. In fact, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, it’s because the Titans have been more “aggressive” than most of Hopkins’ suitors.

And if true, if Hopkins follows through and really signs with the Titans, it’s probably one of the worst possible decisions he can make at this stage of his career:

DeAndre Hopkins is -300 to go to the Tennessee Titans after being +500 yesterday @DKSportsbook pic.twitter.com/ezIRlc3GwQ

— br_betting (@br_betting) July 12, 2023

Look, I get it. It takes two to tango. For Hopkins to join a contender like the Buffalo Bills or Kansas City Chiefs, they have to offer him a contract he actually wants. Given that it’s mid-July, I think it’s safe to say Hopkins isn’t drawing as much interest, at the compensation he desires anyway, from teams who will be Super Bowl favorites.

So, that leaves him with… the Titans. A team that fired its GM and lost its last seven games to close the 2022 season. A team with the middling Ryan Tannehill as the starting quarterback and extended projects like Malik Willis and Will Levis behind him. A team that will very likely be in play for a top-five selection in next April’s draft.

I don’t fault Hopkins for taking the most lucrative deal with the best money. Who knows how long he has left in the NFL? Now’s the time to secure the bag when you can. But I can’t lie that I’d be disappointed if a Hall of Fame-caliber receiver chose to spend the twilight of his career in irrelevance.

A seasoned player like Hopkins should have the opportunity to compete for a championship with superstar quarterbacks. It’d be pretty disheartening to see mediocre signal-callers sailing passes over his head on a five-win team.

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