Mike McCarthy comments on Cowboys' interest in free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins
After signing with new representation at KlutchSports this week, it seems free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is close to finding a new home.
Whether that will be with the Dallas Cowboys remains to be seen. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy gave as clear of an answer as he could on Thursday about the team’s interest in the former Arizona Cardinals star, which is to say he revealed very little.
“Being on offense full-time, I really like the look of our group, the vertical speed,” McCarthy said at OTAs. “As far as players that are not here, there’s nothing good that comes out of those answers. Hop is a hell of a talent. I’ve always had respect for him since his rookie year.”
The Cowboys have already done significant work towards bettering the offense for the 2023 season, not that more can’t be done. They added veteran receiver Brandin Cooks and drafted a new tight end in the second round of the draft to replace Dalton Schultz.
Dallas also has high hopes for Michael Gallup as he finally returns to form this season and for Jalen Tolbert, who they drafted in the third round last year.
Most teams in the league would welcome a player like Hopkins, save for his price tag. He has six seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards under his belt and is still just 30 years old. Cooks, one draft class younger than Hopkins, has a similar resume with six 1,000+ yard seasons. Dallas ended up taking on Cook’s $12 million salary for 2023, before converting $8 million into a signing bonus.
Hopkins drops hints amid free agency
After signing with KlutchSports this week, the former Houston Texans star tweeted a cryptic message that left NFL fans both excited and confused on Wednesday.
His tweet, coupled with the fact that he has been sharing posts on Instagram that show he is currently in Houston, have some wondering whether a reunion could happen in Texas. Houston Chronicle reporter Brooks Kubena shared on Wednesday that Hopkins has an interest in returning to Houston. If so, he would be teaming up with a rookie at quarterback in C.J. Stroud.
Hopkins was making his list of needs known to other teams even before his release.
“What I want is stable management upstairs. I think that’s something I haven’t really had the past couple years of my career coming from Houston and then to Arizona,” Hopkins said on the ‘I AM ATHLETE’ podcast. “I’ve been through three or four GMs in my career, so a stable management.
“[I want] a QB who loves the game, a QB who brings everybody on board with him and pushes not just himself but everybody around him. … and a great defense. A great defense wins championships.”