NFL Rumors: Chargers tied to All-Pro WR DeAndre Hopkins, but is it possible?
By Jason Reed
The NFL rumors cycle has definitely slowed down after the first wave of free agency. Perhaps the biggest impending move is a potential DeAndre Hopkins trade. If Hopkins is not traded then there is belief that the Arizona Cardinals could cut the All-Pro receiver. Regardless, the LA Chargers have entered the conversation.
The Chargers were rumored to be a potential preferred landing spot for Hopkins when this trade situation first developed. It is hard to blame Hopkins as the Chargers have one of the best quarterbacks in the entire sport in Justin Herbert.
That speculation has heated up in recent days thanks to NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky. When discussing which team Hopkins might play for next, the former Detroit Lions quarterback made a passioned plea for the Bolts.
Who should make a move for DeAndre Hopkins? 🚀 👀
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 5, 2023
"I'll throw a flier team out there ... the Los Angeles Chargers. ... I match DeAndre Hopkins with Mike Williams and Keenan [Allen]. Now we're talking about the ability to push the ball down field." —@danorlovsky7 pic.twitter.com/39l5G4q3WK
NFL Rumors: Is DeAndre Hopkins to the Chargers possible?
This has gotten the attention of fans and pundits alike as the idea of Hopkins suiting up with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams in LA is very exciting. After all, the Chargers only have three NFL-caliber receivers on the roster, so there certainly is a need to add more help.
While it is fun to dream about Hopkins in the powder blue, a trade is nearly impossible for the Bolts. Hopkins has a $29.9 million cap hit this season and a $25.4 million cap hit next season. The Chargers simply do not have the cap space to make a trade happen this year. That is completely out of the equation.
The only situation in which Hopkins would be possible is if he was released by the Cardinals and he signed a cheap deal with the Chargers. Los Angeles has $11.9 million in effective cap space and when you factor in the need for an in-season budget, the amount of money the team can spend is even less than that.
If Hopkins is willing to sign a one or two-year deal worth $8 million a season then it is possible for the Chargers. It goes without saying that Hopkins is not going to sign for that price, taking the Chargers out of the running altogether.
Sure, it might be a fun dream scenario and Chargers fans might already be putting Hopkins on the team in their Madden 23 franchise modes. But that is the closest it will get to reality as it is simply unfeasible for the Bolts.
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