Jeffery Simmons shares recruiting pitch for DeAndre Hopkins
The Tennessee Titans are hosting free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins for a visit this weekend and Titans players are already getting their recruiting pitches out for the former Pro Bowler.
On NFL Today, former first-round draft pick Jeffrey Simmons shared his pitch for Hopkins and why the Titans would love to land the veteran receiver for the 2023 season.
“It’s crazy because I didn’t know until today, of course, I already sent the DM, like, ‘Come on with it, you already know what’s up,'” Simmons said. “I know the type of player he is, getting ready to play against him, watching the film, ‘DeAndre Hopkins, DeAndre Hopkins, that’s the guy we gotta stop.’ Everyone has a loot of respect for DeAndre Hopkins, he’s been around the game for a long time.
“His play-making ability, his leadership, the type of teammate he is, that’s why everybody wants him on their team. We’d love to have him on our team, not to rebuild, but to help us win this year.”
Hopkins revealed as serious target for Tennessee
Hopkins received his much sought-after release from the Arizona Cardinals last month. He is now free to sign wherever and whenever he chooses. Several teams around the NFL are interested in adding him to their roster.
There is some familiarity with Hopkins and Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, who was an assistant in Houston early on in Hopkins’ NFL career when he played for the Texans.
Hopkins went to Houston in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. He then moved in a trade to Arizona in March of 2020.
The addition of the veteran wideout would give Tennessee another star playmaker to go along with running back Derrick Henry.
After jumping into the free agency market, Hopkins, who has previously negotiated contracts for himself, signed with Rich Paul’s KlutchSports.
The 31-year-old wideout had 64 receptions for 717 yards and three touchdowns in 2022. He’s surpassed 1,0000 receiving yards in six seasons so far in his career.
If Hopkins goes to Tennessee, he’ll be teaming up with another veteran in quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill played in just 12 games last season because of a lingering ankle injury that eventually ended his season early.
He spent the first part of the offseason rehabbing and made it back to the field for OTAs. The Titans have three days of minicamp work this week before four more OTAs next week. They’ll check in for training camp at the end of July.