Why The Philadelphia Eagles Aren’t Signing DeAndre Hopkins

The Philadelphia Eagles are not likely to sign DeAndre Hopkins. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Contrary to what Philadelphia Eagles fans may want to hear, the Eagles are not going to sign free agent DeAndre Hopkins.

Following Hopkins’ surprising release by the Arizona Cardinals at the end of last week, there have been a number of Super Bowl-contending teams linked to the five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver. Among those potential suitors mentioned are none other than the Eagles.

While the idea of adding Hopkins to a wide receiver core currently led by Pro Bowler A.J. Brown and 1,000-yard receiver DeVonta Smith is a dream scenario, it’s not going to happen.

It’s clear that Hopkins desires to play on a Super Bowl contender after not coming close to sniffing one over his first 10 seasons in the NFL. Despite playing on a few playoff teams during his stints with the Houston Texans and Cardinals, Hopkins has never advanced past the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

The Eagles fit the bill on that end. They also fit the bill when it comes to what Hopkins is looking for from his next destination — stable management, a great defense and a quarterback that loves the game. It’s no coincidence that Hopkins mentioned Philadelphia franchise quarterback Jalen Hurts as one of several franchise passers he’d like to play with.

Via ESPN’s am Schefter:

“On a recent appearance on the “I Am Athlete” podcast, free-agent WR DeAndre Hopkins listed the five QBs he’d most like to catch passes from: the Bills’ Josh Allen, the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson and the Chargers’ Justin Herbert,” said Schefter.

Again, Philadelphia fits the bill on all three of Hopkins’ wishes for his next NFL team. However, there’s a major problem — there’s not enough targets to go around with the Eagles.

While Hopkins is on the verge of turning 31 years old and may not be as dynamic as he was when he posted nearly 1,600 yards a few years prior, he’s still a leading receiver. In a worst-case scenario on a Super Bowl-contending team, he’s a No. 2 receiver.

Hopkins may want a Super Bowl and he may favor the idea of playing with Hurts, but the fact that he has to split targets with Brown — who ranked fourth in the league in receiving yards — Smith (who had a team-leading 95 receptions last season) and tight end Dallas Goedert (who had 55 receptions last season) poses a major problem for a player who is still in his prime.

As Brandon Lee Gowton of SB Nation’s Bleeding Green Nation points out, the Eagles already had issues distributing a fair share of targets among their “Big Three” receiving trio last season.

“It was already a challenge to keep the Big 3 happy with their target,” via Gowton. “ding Hopkins into the mix would further complicate the dynamic. We’re talking about a guy who is averaging 9.4 targets per game over his career. To put that number in perspective, here’s how many targets each of the Eagles’ Big 3 averaged per game last season: Brown — 8.5, DeVonta — 8.0, Goedert — 5.75.”

Gowton further points out how the Eagles already had issues with distributing targets to their secondary receivers. Quez Watkins saw his numbers decline drastically in 2022 compared to the 2021 season. Watkins caught 33 passes for 354 receiving yards in 2022 compared to the 43-reception, 647-yard stat line he produced during the 2021 season.

“Together, the trio accounted for 22.25 targets per game,” writes Gowton. “Or 74.2% of Jalen Hurts’ average 30 attempts per game. The fourth-most targeted member of the offense was the aforementioned Watkins, who only saw three targets per game. Kenneth Gainwell was fifth with 1.7.”

The Eagles should have enough salary cap space — $13 million, more than other rumored contenders such as the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs — to sign Hopkins.

But while the money and the team isn’t the problem, the fit — considering Hopkins’ stature — just doesn’t make sense for either side.