Shortly after news broke that the Kansas City Chiefs are finalizing a trade to acquire Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones expressed his excitement on social media.
“Let’s gooooooooooooo,” Jones posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on October 23.
Several other Chiefs players and fans reacted to the blockbuster trade.
Linebacker Drue Tranquill responded with multiple eyeball emojis, and defensive end Charles Omenihu tagged Hopkins in a post featuring several handshake emojis.
“Love this move for KC. Drops were a big issue last year. Focus on WR acquisitions this year with Hop & JuJu brings in-game dependability,” former Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel commented. “Once JuJu’s back, having him, Hop, Watson, Kelce & Gray alongside the playmaking speed of Worthy & Hardman should give KC a nice mix.”
“Chiefs fans have been clamoring for Kareem Hunt and DeAndre Hopkins in recent years. Now they’ll both play key roles in the Chiefs’ pursuit of a three-peat,” another fan wrote. “Funny how things work out!”
“D-Hop will be highly motivated. If he’s crucial in the Chiefs’ three-peat run, they can start carving his Hall of Fame bust,” Adam Best of Arrowhead Addict added.
Chiefs Add Talented WR to Injury-Riddled Offense
Kansas City is sending a fifth-round pick, which could escalate to a fourth-round pick, to the Titans in exchange for Hopkins, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
The Chiefs have been hit hard by injuries, with JuJu Smith-Schuster being the latest wideout sidelined, joining Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown, both out for the season. With their receiver corps depleted heading into Week 8, general manager Brett Veach made a major move before the trade deadline.
Hopkins joins a receiving group that includes Xavier Worthy, Justin Watson, Mecole Hardman, and Skyy Moore.
Per Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated, Hopkins has approximately $5.3 million remaining in prorated base salary for the 2024 season.
“My understanding is the Titans are expected to cover half of his salary to facilitate the deal with the Chiefs,” Verderame reported on X on October 23.
Chiefs Aim to Have DeAndre Hopkins Ready for Week 8
As for Hopkins’ debut, Underdog Fantasy’s James Palmer reports that the Chiefs plan to have the former All-Pro receiver ready for Week 8 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
“I’m told the #chiefs will get DeAndre Hopkins up to speed as soon as he arrives in KC today,” Palmer posted. “The goal is for him to play Sunday vs. the #raiders, per source. It will be tough, but that’s the plan.”
The Chiefs-Raiders game will be held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, October 27, at 3:25 p.m. Central Time and will be broadcast on CBS.