Free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins continues to express his desire to play with Joe Burrow.
DeAndre Hopkins has made no secret of where he wants to play. What started as a cryptic tiger emoji on social media in March has evolved into an outright public campaign, and at this point, the ball is squarely in the Bengals’ court.
Hopkins first set off the speculation at the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, where Burrow connected with him for a touchdown in a flag football matchup, sending Bengals fans into a frenzy.
He then doubled down in an interview with Kay Adams, praising Burrow and declaring his comfort with playing the slot role. “I would be very comfortable being a slot guy,” Hopkins said. “I know defensive coverages thanks to my guy Bill O’Brien. He used to make us learn defensive coverages.”
Most recently, at the Kentucky Derby, Hopkins left no room for interpretation: “I think Joe is one of the best. I love his game, his toughness. He took a team to the Super Bowl early in his career, and I feel like he can get back there with a little bit of help.”
This is now the second time this offseason Hopkins has publicly expressed interest in joining Burrow. But the question is whether Cincinnati should oblige him.
According to Spotrac, Hopkins’ projected market value sits at around $1.49 million per year, and the Bengals currently carry roughly $7.4 million in cap space, meaning this signing would carry almost no financial risk whatsoever.
The case for signing him starts with the receiver room’s current depth. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are the unquestioned starters, but the competition for the No. 3 receiver role involves Andrei Iosivas and rookie Colbie Young, neither of whom are proven commodities.
Over the last two seasons, Iosivas dropped 10 total passes while Hopkins dropped just two. A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Hopkins’s hands have been one of the most reliable constants of his 13-year career, regardless of what team or quarterback he’s been paired with.
In an offense led by Burrow, a quarterback who processes the field faster than nearly anyone in football, having a receiver who can diagnose coverage pre-snap and find the soft spot in a zone is genuinely valuable.
The counterargument, however, is Hopkins’ decline in production. He appeared in 17 games for the Baltimore Ravens in 2025 and finished with just 22 receptions for 330 yards and two touchdowns. Right now, he is far from the dominant force who once averaged 1,228.9 receiving yards per season in his six years with the Houston Texans.