AFC Contender Reportedly 'Lurking' In DeAndre Hopkins Sweepstakes
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 08: DeAndre Hopkins #10 of the Arizona Cardinals looks on during warmups before the game against the Miami Dolphins at State Farm Stadium on November 08, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
DeAndre Hopkins has gone from trade target to the most sought-after free agent on the market. His surprise release from the Arizona Cardinals has caused a frenzy among teams who are looking to add the multiple-time Pro Bowler.
The Cardinals were not willing to part with Hopkins in a trade unless they got a great returrn. Now that he's free to sign to any team, negotiations will be far more direct.
One team in the AFC has had their eye on Hopkins for some time. With a clear path to signing him, they appear ready to make their move.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Buffalo Bills have been "lurking" around a move for Hopkins dating back to when he would have needed to be traded.
"Hopkins could be a missing piece for an offense that's firmly in a championship window, and he is intrigued by the idea of playing with Josh Allen," Fowler said.
From a football perspective, the move makes perfect sense. Hopkins would fit like a glove in the Bills' offense alongside Stefon Diggs as another big-play target for one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
When it comes to the front office side of things, Fowler says the road to getting Hopkins in Buffalo is a little less clear.
"If [Hopkins] wants money close to the $19.45 million he was due in Arizona, that could be a nonstarter for the Bills, who have $2.4 million in cap space," Fowler noted.
"Buffalo would need to get creative to fit Hopkins on the books."
