Recent Updates Prove DeAndre Hopkins Is Realistic For The Bears

The Chicago Bears no longer have a pressing need at wide receiver. Adding D.J. Moore via trade and Tyler Scott via the draft proves as much. GM Ryan Poles has other positions to worry about. Then again, it's his job to give his young quarterback every possible advantage. Adding DeAndre Hopkins to join Moore, Chase Claypool, and Darnell Mooney would undoubtedly do that. The problem most people have with that idea is it doesn't make sense. Hopkins has no reason to come to Chicago. Except yes, he does.

The common assumption people have made about the former Pro Bowler is he'd follow the same playbook as most players his age. He would seek out a team that is a contender, preferably one with a great quarterback, so he can get his elusive Super Bowl ring. We're talking Kansas City, Buffalo, Dallas, and Baltimore. So it was a genuine shock when his first two free agent visits after leaving Arizona were to Tennessee and New England. Both teams missed the playoffs last year and have very meh quarterbacks in Ryan Tannehill and Mac Jones.

That made it clear to everybody. Winning is a priority for Hopkins, but not the top priority. He's looking for the biggest contract.

The Bears can give DeAndre Hopkins what he wants.

They currently have the most cap space in the NFL, with over $32 million. They'll also have the fourth-most cap space in 2024. So if they want to splurge a little bit, they can. Poles isn't prone to spending big money on players in their 30s. Hopkins would be a departure from that philosophy. Still, nobody can deny the guy's track record. If he regains the form he had a couple of seasons ago, he and Moore could form a devastating tandem for Fields to exploit, making life even easier for Mooney and Claypool in the process.

The odds of this happening are remote. DeAndre Hopkins will want to go somewhere he can be the featured attraction he's always been. One could argue that wouldn't be the case in Chicago. Not with Moore already establishing himself as a favorite of Fields'. Then again, Poles is unpredictable. He's not afraid to roll the dice if he thinks it'll make his quarterback better. The Bears can afford almost any price Hopkins demands. It comes down to whether they're willing to pay it.