DeAndre Hopkins on trade block

[The Cooler King]

Supposedly



https://www.thescore.com/s/24195917

The trade market is very hard to guage. WR trade market has never been hotter, but he will be 31 with a PED suspension on his belt.

[The Cooler King]

Apparently he has a No Trade Clause. Definitely will impact things.

[wab]

This will be interesting to watch.

[thunderspirit]

And a no-tag clause.
With two years left, and looking for a new deal. So you can bet that NTC will be invoked anywhere that's not going to give him new paper.

[wab]

They could conceivably June 1st him and spread the hit over the next two years. It would be a manageable hit.

So who knows what that does to his value.

[The Cooler King]

They could conceivably June 1st him and spread the hit over the next two years. It would be a manageable hit.

So who knows what that does to his value.

Certainly everything is on table. New regime and coaching staff. Murray recovering from ACL.

Slightly different scenario, but Bears got a 5th for Brandon Marshall. Same age year as Hopkins, but I think he still had guarantees left. Was coming off a down year.

[karhu]

He's precisely the WR we need, especially if we land a commensurately talented younger guy to mentor the way Andre Johnson did for him. Immediate respect, immediate leadership, and a guy who Eberflus will probably think is too intense most of the time. Perfect. Above all, the WR Fields needs right now and for the next few seasons.

And for all that, I still hope we don't pay a lot for that muffler. Wouldn't surprise me if Poles is talking to whoever's left in Arizona while looking to delay a deal until draft day, when he knows what 2023 picks he's got from trading down.

[Grizzled]

I don't think he'll bring what other high-end guys did last year, certainly not a 1st. Mike Evans is the same age, has been a 1000+ yard guy every season, didn't tear an ACL, and didn't have a PED suspension. I'd rather the Bears looked at him if he's put on the market.

[wab]

I don't think he'll bring what other high-end guys did last year, certainly not a 1st. Mike Evans is the same age, has been a 1000+ yard guy every season, didn't tear an ACL, and didn't have a PED suspension. I'd rather the Bears looked at him if he's put on the market.

Trading Evans is kind of a cap killer for the Bucs...although he can more easily be designated a post June 1 cut.

[karhu]

I don't think he'll bring what other high-end guys did last year, certainly not a 1st. Mike Evans is the same age, has been a 1000+ yard guy every season, didn't tear an ACL, and didn't have a PED suspension. I'd rather the Bears looked at him if he's put on the market.

What wab said, and then there's the context. Evans has played what, one season for a team that threw for fewer than 4,000 yards. Hopkins has played in that kind of offense one time in his NFL career.

They're both terrific, and it'd be great to land either of them somehow. But for my money, it's a Pippen/Jordan thing. Evans is a big guy who's developed some skills he didn't need to, but which have made him a fantastic player. If we had a chance to add him, great...unless we have a chance to add someone whose focus, attention to detail, and monomaniacal approach to the game could galvanize the offense. Maybe I'm a few years late with all of this; maybe I'm reading too much into the fact that he led his team in receiving yards this year while playing half a season. But Hopkins is still proud of the herd on his intangibles alone.

[dplank]

They could conceivably June 1st him and spread the hit over the next two years. It would be a manageable hit.

So who knows what that does to his value.

Since we have all the cap space in existence, is there any possibility we could eat their cap hit ourselves which would limit the amount of trade capital we have to send them,? I'm guessing no, but there are so many loopholes out there I was hoping maybe there was a way.

[The Marshall Plan]

I'd still prefer Tee Higgins using a trade down pick.

However if Hopkins could be had for cheaper, from a draft choice perspective, then we could absorb that cap hit all day long.

@The Cooler King mentioned B-Marsh was had for a fifth rounder. Bump that up to a fourth. I'd do that trade right now.

[The Cooler King]

I'd still prefer Tee Higgins using a trade down pick.

However if Hopkins could be had for cheaper, from a draft choice perspective, then we could absorb that cap hit all day long.

@The Cooler King mentioned B-Marsh was had for a fifth rounder. Bump that up to a fourth. I'd do that trade right now.

I initially said third, but then heard about the NTC. So 4th might be closer.

Or someone us agressive and gives a 2nd. It only takes two for a bidding war!

His possible contract demands are the other huge variable which could sink the demand from teams.

[The Marshall Plan]

I'd still prefer Tee Higgins using a trade down pick.

However if Hopkins could be had for cheaper, from a draft choice perspective, then we could absorb that cap hit all day long.

@The Cooler King mentioned B-Marsh was had for a fifth rounder. Bump that up to a fourth. I'd do that trade right now.

I initially said third, but then heard about the NTC. So 4th might be closer.

Or someone us agressive and gives a 2nd. It only takes two for a bidding war!

His possible contract demands are the other huge variable which could sink the demand from teams.

Keeping in mind that I think Claypool is capable of producing, but can you imagine a receiving group of Hopkins, Claypool and Kmet? Especially with the way Kmet is starting to emerge now?

Hopkins is a legit WR to tie up the CB1 putting Claypool on CB2 which means Claypool automatically gets better by seeing the lesser defender.

Now if we can just block for JF1 we'd really be onto something there.

Yeah we make the trade.

[dplank]

Yea this is the trickle down effect of adding a premier talent to a position group. We don't need another mid tier guy, we need a damn difference maker. A guy that other teams need to plan for, that opens up everyone else. Hopkins is that kind of guy. Higgins isn't IMO. I'd trade a 2nd all day long to get him here and lock him up on a 4 or 5 year deal.

Hopkins/Claypool/Mooney/Kmet - that's a high quality set of pass catchers for Fields.

A legit pro bowl LT can have the same effect on an offensive line!!!! This is why I wanted Trent Williams. This is also why I wanted Armstead. That anchor trickles down and raises the play of the other lineman because he can handle his business without much help, allowing you to help elsewhere. Watching Braxton Jones pass block on roller skates all year was hard to watch and I'm absolutely certain it negatively impacted Whitehair.

[Heinz D.]

So, any doubt that the Cardinals don't know what they're doing (and apparently never will) has now disintegrated.

What idiots.

Forget Higgins. Forget Evans. Hopkins is most likely still better than either, and can be had for less draft capital (if any). And the Bears can pay him a lot of money--just to be a solid contributor.

[Heinz D.]

A legit pro bowl LT can have the same effect on an offensive line!!!! This is why I wanted Trent Williams. This is also why I wanted Armstead. That anchor trickles down and raises the play of the other lineman because he can handle his business without much help, allowing you to help elsewhere. Watching Braxton Jones pass block on roller skates all year was hard to watch and I'm absolutely certain it negatively impacted Whitehair.

Dude, Jones was one of the best rookie tackles last year.

Be happy he's on the team. There wasn't a whole lot else to be happy about...

[wab]

A legit pro bowl LT can have the same effect on an offensive line!!!! This is why I wanted Trent Williams. This is also why I wanted Armstead. That anchor trickles down and raises the play of the other lineman because he can handle his business without much help, allowing you to help elsewhere. Watching Braxton Jones pass block on roller skates all year was hard to watch and I'm absolutely certain it negatively impacted Whitehair.

Dude, Jones was one of the best rookie tackles last year.

Be happy he's on the team. There wasn't a whole lot else to be happy about...

He was THE best if I’m not mistaken.

[dplank]

I don't know how you came up with that assessment, my guess is some form of pulling out of ones ass lol. While I hate PFF grades, I really have no other basis to go from because I didn't watch all the Giants or Seahawks or Colts games, so please correct me if I'm wrong here, but did any of you? Assuming not, we really only have PFF grades to guide any sort of comparative discussion about rookie T performance even if we all recognize that they are FAR from a perfect information source.

According to PFF, with all those caveats mentioned...

The top rated rookie T was ranked 4th overall and was Evan Neal. Charles Cross ranked 5th overall. Petit Frere (the guy I wanted us to draft) ranked 22nd. Bernhard Raimann ranked 29th. Braxton Jones ranked 38th. I'll repeat again that I can't really offer my own assessment here, because I maybe watched one or two games total from each of these other teams.

But I do know that Braxton Jones did not play well and was overmatched physically in pass protection pretty much every week. I don't hate him, and I would absolutely expect him to improve on his play as any rookie would going from Y1 to Y2, but banking on Braxton Jones to be your lock down LT of the future is a big mistake IMO. I think many fans are falling into Charles Leno Syndrome here, falsely equating his actual performance with his expected performance as a low round draft choice (which he over achieved).

[wab]

From WSCR last week:

The 23-year-old Jones has asserted himself well as an NFL rookie. He ranks 16th out of 58 tackles in Pro Football Focus' grades and is the top-ranked rookie tackle – from a class that featured six tackles selected in the first round.

So IDK...

[dplank]

IDK either...here's what I found on my google machine.

https://www.pff.com/nfl/grades/position/t

The only player performance I feel I can speak to at all is Jones. And while I appreciate what he did and am happy with how he performed as a 5th round rookie, I'm not willing to pencil him in. He has a LOT of improvement in front of him to be a quality NFL LT from what I've seen. He has the DNA to achieve that, so again I'm not at all shitting on the guy.

I also don't think we can settle for avg/slightly below avg on our OL anymore. As Bears fans we seem to do this. I want Pro Bowlers, at least one of them maybe 2.

[Moriarty]

From their website, right now, available free, overall rating on their player page:

Braxton 75.4
Evan Neal 44.0
Charles Cross 63.7
Petit Frere 52.3
Bernhard Raimann 73.3



For reference, 75.4 is pretty good

Orlando Brown's career numbers: 67.8, 72.0, 76.5, 75.4, 75.8

[Moriarty]

IDK either...here's what I found on my google machine.

https://www.pff.com/nfl/grades/position/t

I think you got tricked there.

My guess is that, aside from the 3 that are 'revealed' for free, the order of the others is deliberately scrambled

[Moriarty]

IDK either...here's what I found on my google machine.

https://www.pff.com/nfl/grades/position/t

I think you got tricked there.

My guess is that, aside from the 3 that are 'revealed' for free, the order of the others is deliberately scrambled

Yeah, that's it.
I started sorting by other columns, then went back to sorting by Rank. The 3 that are revealed sorted to the top again, but the rest were in a completely different order.

[IE]

Given the reality of the situation with '23 FA WRs and no clear dominant guy in the draft (from what I understand), I think Pole's best answer to filling the clear need for a true WR1 for JF1 is to orchestrate a trade for a known quantity.

I don't mind the age on a couple of these guys - especially Hopkins or Evans. They wouldn't be being brought in as JF1's long-term "guy". They would be an answer to the question "what is the best situation - the best bridge - possible until the Bears can get JF1's true long-term "guy?"

I personally think Hop and Evans would be worth picking up another FA WR because of what they are, what the Bears need, and given Poles' bank. With Adams (or DJ Moore) there is also the potential to get them in a trade-down scenario with QB-hungry teams. HIggins is really good and that would be an amazing "get". But at what price, and with him being on a team that really does need him? I don't think they will make him available in any way next year. To me it would make no sense to pay another #2-type guy like Meyers or whoever Kirk-type money. Give that money to either Claypool or Mooney next year - whoever earns it.

I believe the most likely scenario is the Bears go into '23 with the current WRs and one draft pick. But IF they can get a true #1 and not have to wait until '24 or even later it would be he best scenario.

[BearsFanInMN]

Hopkins would be great. It's the pick required and what we'd have to restructure at that concerns me due to him being 29 (though I still see him being productive for multiple years). Side note AZ media thinks they can get a 1st for him which they feel is low.

[IE]

Hopkins would be great. It's the pick required and what we'd have to restructure at that concerns me due to him being 29 (though I still see him being productive for multiple years). Side note AZ media thinks they can get a 1st for him which they feel is low.

Yeah... no draft capital for a WR unless it is just part of a much better trade-down package for the 1st pick. If that takes Hopkins off the table for the Bears so be it. Never pay the money and give up picks. Ok - maybe as the last piece of a puzzle. But not as part of a rebuild.

Other guys could conceivably be part of a draft day package - guys like Adams, DJ, or even potentially Evans with Brady likely departing.

[Atkins&Rebel]

Hopkins' talent is still upper echelon.
Prior to 2020, Hopkins had 5 instances on NFL injury reports, with 2 of those being for concussions in which he only missed some pre season games. His only missed game prior to 2020 was for a calf strain in 2017.
Since then he's had 10 listings on the injury report for muscle, ligament, spine and a rib injury where he missed significant time in 2021, and a couple games at the end of this season.
Then he got dinged for PEDs and he lost time in 2022 for that offense.

Bottom line, the guy has talent, but he's taken a beating the last few years and he might not be available due to injury or suspension. It's a highly mitigating factor for compensation purposes, because I'd like to have him, but not for anything more than a 3rd rounder (if he passes the physical).

[Heinz D.]

The only player performance I feel I can speak to at all is Jones. And while I appreciate what he did and am happy with how he performed as a 5th round rookie, I'm not willing to pencil him in. He has a LOT of improvement in front of him to be a quality NFL LT from what I've seen. He has the DNA to achieve that, so again I'm not at all shitting on the guy.

I also don't think we can settle for avg/slightly below avg on our OL anymore. As Bears fans we seem to do this. I want Pro Bowlers, at least one of them maybe 2.

Jones' advancement from rookie to second year player SHOULD be immense. But either way, Jones wasn't really the problem...it was, basically, everybody else. Well, I guess if Jenkins can stay healthy, he's a keeper. And maybe Borom can get a little lighter, work on his technique, and end up being a decent zone blocker...you never know.

I suppose maybe if Poles drafts Skoronski high, I can live with that, but I want a guard and a center first and foremost. And DL should be highest priority, as they were the team's biggest weakness.

And I expect one at least fairly impactful FA signing on both OL and DL...

Yeah... no draft capital for a WR unless it is just part of a much better trade-down package for the 1st pick. If that takes Hopkins off the table for the Bears so be it. Never pay the money and give up picks. Ok - maybe as the last piece of a puzzle. But not as part of a rebuild.

Hopkins is worth a mid-round pick, even for a rebuilding team--provided that team has the cap space...and the Bears do.

If Poles trades down as much as I suspect he will, there will be plenty of picks with which to snag Hopkins, too.

[BearsFanInMN]

Hopkins would be great. It's the pick required and what we'd have to restructure at that concerns me due to him being 29 (though I still see him being productive for multiple years). Side note AZ media thinks they can get a 1st for him which they feel is low.

Yeah... no draft capital for a WR unless it is just part of a much better trade-down package for the 1st pick. If that takes Hopkins off the table for the Bears so be it. Never pay the money and give up picks. Ok - maybe as the last piece of a puzzle. But not as part of a rebuild.

Other guys could conceivably be part of a draft day package - guys like Adams, DJ, or even potentially Evans with Brady likely departing.

Agreed. He’s great on and off the field so think his impact would be huge, but I’m thinking it’s after a trade that gets us extra 1, 2, and 3s to use.