Will DeAndre Hopkins be available this offseason?

[Success]

2 hours ago, HappyDays said:

The way I look at it, we know Hopkins, Jeudy, and OBJ are available. If we don't end up with one of them I consider the offseason mostly a failure. Improving the depth on the offense, but failing to improve the #2 WR when better options are available, would constitute a failure IMO.

 

Really?

 

I don't expect us to get any of those guys, and I'm kind of glad we won't.  We don't have a lot of draft capital this year, and I don't think I'd be happy about any trade where we gave up a pick or a contributing player, just to get another WR.

 

We have a very good WR corps as things stand, and may add via the draft.  But Beane said it himself - we need to focus on the trenches.  The history of the NFL has more teams who focused on skill positions and failed than the opposite.  Give Josh Allen time, and he will make every WR we have look amazing.

 

[The Wiz]

2 hours ago, NeverOutNick said:

If Beane somehow pulls off Hopkins and Isaiah Simmons for Ed Oliver and our second round pick, I will never question him again.

Don't forget David Putney for ST.

[LOVEMESOMEBILLS]

2 hours ago, FrenchConnection said:

How are the BIlls supposed to stop two other NFL franchises from completing a trade? They can't stop the Jets from trading for Aaron Rodgers. They couldn't stop the Dolphins from trading for Hill. If the deals are similar, I would think that the Cardinals would go to Hopkins and ask him for his choice. He would probably choose KC because

• He would be WR #1
• Better chance to win a SB on the defending SB champs
• Wouldn't have to deal with 70-inch snowstorms.

Sure, the BIlls could probably get Hopkins right not for Oliver and #27, but that would be a massive overpay. Is that what you want Beane to do?

 

 Don't tell him Oliver & our #27 pick is a massive overpay. Last night he wanted to give up Milano, Oliver & our 2nd round pick for Hopkins.😳 That would’ve gone down in Bills history as the dumbest move they ever made.

 

 

 

[HappyDays]

9 minutes ago, Success said:

I don't expect us to get any of those guys, and I'm kind of glad we won't.  We don't have a lot of draft capital this year, and I don't think I'd be happy about any trade where we gave up a pick or a contributing player, just to get another WR.

 

It's supposed to be a weak draft, though. Our last few 2nd rounders are James Cook, Boogie Basham, AJ Epenesa, Cody Ford, Zay Jones. You wouldn't give up any of those players for a two year rental of DeAndre Hopkins? To me it's a no brainer. For Jeudy I would do a 1st because he's only 24 years old and he is a better WR prospect than any WR we could conceivably draft with our 1st rounder. OBJ doesn't cost draft picks, we just need to pay him a little more than other teams are offering for a one year prove it deal. Preferences may vary but to me any one of these options is a no brainer. It isn't adding "just another WR." It's improving on Gabe Davis who was the worst #2 target of any of the remaining contenders last year.

 

14 minutes ago, Success said:

But Beane said it himself - we need to focus on the trenches. 

 

Well, we didn't. We signed Conner McGovern, that was the extent of our OL improvements this offseason. Recent history shows you can make it to the Super Bowl with elite skill positions (Bengals) or elite OL (Chiefs), or ideally both (Eagles). At this point I know there are available options that would raise our skill positions to an elite level. There is no way we are going to suddenly raise our OL to an elite level at this point. So, I take the most sensible path available - acquire one of the available players that improves our WR #2 and know for a fact that we are fielding a better offense than the one that scored 10 points in the divisional round.

[Warriorspikes51]

Ben Allbright mentioned  Patriots, Giants, Falcons, Titans are 4 of the interested teams  (there are more)

[BillsShredder83]

3 hours ago, NeverOutNick said:

If Beane somehow pulls off Hopkins and Isaiah Simmons for Ed Oliver and our second round pick, I will never question him again.

if it doesnt, will you stop drinking alcohol in the afternoon lol

[Milanos Milano]

2 hours ago, FrenchConnection said:

How are the BIlls supposed to stop two other NFL franchises from completing a trade? They can't stop the Jets from trading for Aaron Rodgers. They couldn't stop the Dolphins from trading for Hill. If the deals are similar, I would think that the Cardinals would go to Hopkins and ask him for his choice. He would probably choose KC because

• He would be WR #1
• Better chance to win a SB on the defending SB champs
• Wouldn't have to deal with 70-inch snowstorms.

Sure, the BIlls could probably get Hopkins right not for Oliver and #27, but that would be a massive overpay. Is that what you want Beane to do?

Yes, yes that’s exactly what I want Beane to do. I want a super bowl victory, and Hopkins + Diggs gets us there. 

[Warriorspikes51]

For those saying we can’t afford to do this…

 

DHop has a $29.9 M cap number, $19.4M is the base that can be converted by a team to reduce the cap number.

 

If Cardinals retain a chunk like Texans did with Cooks….Hopkins cap hit can be pretty low…

[Scott7975]

3 hours ago, HappyDays said:

The way I look at it, we know Hopkins, Jeudy, and OBJ are available. If we don't end up with one of them I consider the offseason mostly a failure. Improving the depth on the offense, but failing to improve the #2 WR when better options are available, would constitute a failure IMO.

I agree. We need more from the outside than we got from Davis to take more heat off Diggs. I think more importantly we need better o line play and better reads/plans from Dorsey and Allen. 
 

I hope Beane can nail a stud from the draft. I don’t know anything about college players though. 

[NewEra]

3 hours ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Yep, I’m not sure how we compete with Cinci/KC without a #2 . Preferably Hopkins though, he commands enough to free up Diggs. 
If KC lands Hopkins I’m going to go hulk smash mode. 

Just look at the Bills @ chiefs game played just a few months ago.  
 

that will tell you how we can compete with KC.  I promise.

 

cinci- I don’t know what to tell you.  If you need proof we can beat them in a game, it doesn’t exist.  You’ll just be all sad and cry about it in every post.  
 

 

[4merper4mer]

6 hours ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Yes on Hopkins, no on OBJ. I really hope we find a way to bring him here. I will completely change my mind on Beane if he makes it happen

Lol when you changed your mind about Beane based on Hopkins you’d go from being wrong to……being wrong.

[BillsFanForever19]

4 hours ago, HappyDays said:

The way I look at it, we know Hopkins, Jeudy, and OBJ are available. If we don't end up with one of them I consider the offseason mostly a failure. Improving the depth on the offense, but failing to improve the #2 WR when better options are available, would constitute a failure IMO.

 

OBJ can be done. Jerry Jeudy depending on the trade could theoretically be done with him still being under his rookie deal. DeAndre Hopkins is not happening. 

 

He only has this year and next year left on his deal. He has a 31 million dollar cap hit this season and a 27 million dollar cap hit next season. There's no restructure that can be done that will make him work with our cap this year or next (where we're also 18+ million over). 

 

He's not ripping up that deal to sign a new one that isn't a monster. Even if we could afford it, which we can't, there's no way Beane is going to pay Diggs what we're paying him and then turn around and pay Nuke's asking price.

[Cotton Fitzsimmons]

30 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

OBJ can be done. Jerry Jeudy depending on the trade could theoretically be done with him still being under his rookie deal. DeAndre Hopkins is not happening. 

 

He only has this year and next year left on his deal. He has a 31 million dollar cap hit this season and a 27 million dollar cap hit next season. There's no restructure that can be done that will make him work with our cap this year or next (where we're also 18+ million over). 

 

He's not ripping up that deal to sign a new one that isn't a monster. Even if we could afford it, which we can't, there's no way Beane is going to pay Diggs what we're paying him and then turn around and pay Nuke's asking price.

Not saying Beane gets this deal done, but the cap hits for the team acquiring Hopkins are quite a bit lower:

 

”If traded, his cap hits for his new team would be $19.45 million in 2023 and $14.915 million in 2024.”

 

https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/nfl/deandre-hopkins-contract-salary-cap-hit-potential-extension-bm10/

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

Hopkins will be available but Beane won't touch him with a 15 foot pole

[John from Riverside]

1 hour ago, IronMaidenBills said:

Yes, yes that’s exactly what I want Beane to do. I want a super bowl victory, and Hopkins + Diggs gets us there. 

Just insanity

[Goin Breakdown]

It's not going to happen. But then again the OBJ thread is 125 pages long so....

[BillsFanForever19]

1 hour ago, Cotton Fitzsimmons said:

Not saying Beane gets this deal done, but the cap hits for the team acquiring Hopkins are quite a bit lower:

 

”If traded, his cap hits for his new team would be $19.45 million in 2023 and $14.915 million in 2024.”

 

https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/nfl/deandre-hopkins-contract-salary-cap-hit-potential-extension-bm10/

 

Good info to have. But even at 19.5 this year and 15 next year, we can't afford that. At most, we were able to get 25 million under the cap with some heavy finessing. Probably have 7 million left right now (with Draft Picks still left to pay for) after the Harris, Sherfield, and Quessenberry signings.

 

We can do some more finessing. Though it's hard to see where anymore. Maybe extensions for DaQuan Jones and/or Ed Oliver? Releasing Siran Neal. But 19.5 plus compensation on one player? No way.

 

Gabe Davis had a down year that Beane attributes to injury. But they aren't about to guarantee that he's gone next season before the year starts by putting themselves in a situation where it would be it would be impossible to bring him back. Beane himself talked up bringing him back already in his last presser. 

 

It'll be a move for OBJ at a bargain bc of the risk, an outside chance at a trade for a manageable Jeudy (and even that feels unlikely to me), at most a 1 year deal for around 9 for Mecole Hardman (also unlikely to me), maybe a manageable prove it deal for a guy looking to rebuild his brand in Allen Robinson, or a high Draft pick.

 

But this Hopkins (and Mike Evans) talk is absolute nonsense.

 

1 hour ago, John from Riverside said:

Just insanity

 

This guy was advocating trading Matt Milano to get Mike Evans or DeAndre Hopkins, so yeah, he's pretty much muted to me at this point.

Edited March 21, 2023 by BillsFanForever19

[Warriorspikes51]

The Cowboys have restructured Brandin Cooks contract, turning $8m of his $12m base salary into signing bonus. His salary is now $4m. He will count $6m against the cap. He is still making the $18m he was guaranteed in 2023 with Houston paying him $6m.
 

 

 

[BillsFanForever19]

8 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

The Cowboys have restructured Brandin Cooks contract, turning $8m of his $12m base salary into signing bonus. His salary is now $4m. He will count $6m against the cap. He is still making the $18m he was guaranteed in 2023 with Houston paying him $6m.

 

He'll also carry a $4m dollar cap hit and a $4m dead cap hit in 2025, even though he won't be on the team. 

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys/brandin-cooks-14429/

[Warriorspikes51]

5 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

He'll also carry a $4m dollar cap hit and a $4m dead cap hit in 2025, even though he won't be on the team. 

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys/brandin-cooks-14429/

Peanuts. Well worth it 

[BillsFanForever19]

Just now, Warriorspikes51 said:

Peanuts. Well worth it 

 

The point is - that bill comes due. It appears there's more in 2026, 2 years after he's gone that they'll still be paying for.

 

And if we're talking about Hopkins v. Cooks, we're talking about a 12 million cap hit that can be restructured to 4 v. a 31 million cap hit that becomes 19.45.

[Warriorspikes51]

1 minute ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

The point is - that bill comes due. It appears there's more in 2026, 2 years after he's gone that they'll still be paying for.

 

And if we're talking about Hopkins v. Cooks, we're talking about a 12 million cap hit that can be restructured to 4 v. a 31 million cap hit that becomes 19.45.

Cardinals retain a chunk and we convert the base to a bonus. 
 

I don’t care about that Bill coming due when the cap keeps going way up.

 

This offense needs another elite impact player.

[BillsFanForever19]

39 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

Cardinals retain a chunk and we convert the base to a bonus. 
 

I don’t care about that Bill coming due when the cap keeps going way up.

 

This offense needs another elite impact player.

 

We have maybe 7 million dollars of the 43.5 we were able to pull together, when we were already 18.5 over. We have more holes to fill and draft picks to sign.

 

This concept of "I don't care, just get it done" is childish. The cap can be finessed, but it DOES exist. And he's already finessed it quite a bit just to stay afloat. We went all in last year. We can't do that this year. We're 18+ million over the cap next year already for pushing things down the road all the time.

 

His cap hit moves from 31 to 19.45. Simply can't afford that. Even if we did move things around further from there (which i'm not sure we can), we still can't afford it. 

 

And they're going to pay for it? How much compensation would that cost for them to give us Hopkins and pay for him? More than anyone would pay for a 30 year old WR.

 

WR will be addressed somehow. Whether it's a gamble on someone coming off an injury like OBJ, someone looking to rebuild their value like Allen Robinson, getting lucky that someone overplayed their hand in FA like Mecole Hardman, and/or more likely than all of that a 1st or 2nd Round Draft pick.

 

But DeAndre Hopkins is a pipedream. Simple as that. If you're expecting or even hoping for that, you're misguided and setting yourself up for surefire anger and/or disappointment.

Edited March 22, 2023 by BillsFanForever19

[LOVEMESOMEBILLS]

4 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

This guy was advocating trading Matt Milano to get Mike Evans or DeAndre Hopkins, so yeah, he's pretty much muted to me at this point.

 

 It was Milano, Oliver & our 2nd round pick for Mike Evans.😂 As I told him last night, he would suck as a GM.

 

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by LOVEMESOMEBILLS

[Warriorspikes51]

25 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

We have maybe 7 million dollars of the 43.5 we were able to pull together, when we were already 18.5 over. We have more holes to fill and draft picks to sign.

 

This concept of "I don't care, just get it done" is childish. The cap can be finessed, but it DOES exist. And he's already finessed it quite a bit just to stay afloat. We went all in last year. We can't do that this year. We're 18+ million over the cap next year already for pushing things down the road all the time.

 

His cap hit moves from 31 to 19.45. Simply can't afford that. Even if we did move things around further from there (which i'm not sure we can), we still can't afford it. 

 

And they're going to pay for it? How much compensation would that cost for them to give us Hopkins and pay for him? More than anyone would pay for a 30 year old WR.

 

WR will be addressed somehow. Whether it's a gamble on someone coming off an injury like OBJ, someone looking to rebuild their value like Allen Robinson, getting lucky that someone overplayed their hand in FA like Mecole Hardman, and/or more likely than all of that a 1st or 2nd Round Draft pick.

 

But DeAndre Hopkins is a pipedream. Simple as that. If you're expecting or even hoping for that, you're misguided and setting yourself up for surefire anger and/or disappointment.

I think OBJ is likely. Hardman is intriguing. Getting him would make 3 WR’s with high end speed

[BillsFanForever19]

50 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

I think OBJ is likely. Hardman is intriguing. Getting him would make 3 WR’s with high end speed

 

I'd love it too. But Mecole Hardman represents the most we could do. And I don't think even Hardman is likely. It would take him asking for too much and finding himself without a suitor deep into FA and willing to take less to play with a contender to try to improve his stock next season.

 

Hopkins is even less likely than him. We're 18+ million over the cap next season with Ed Oliver, Gabe Davis, Micah Hyde, Daquan Jones, Tyler Bass, and Tim Settle (amongst many other depth players and 1 year signings from this year) as Free Agents. 

 

As Beane said in his presser, he went all in getting Von last year and now can't afford to put himself in the hole further. On top of getting deeper into the hole, we'd also have to give up picks that we need to keep to replace people, given our cap situation.

[John from Riverside]

4 hours ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

Peanuts. Well worth it 

It’s not peanuts that’s a lot of money to carry on your team whenever you’re paying a franchise QB

3 hours ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

I think OBJ is likely. Hardman is intriguing. Getting him would make 3 WR’s with high end speed

I would pay OBJ on a one year prove it deal just to make sure that the knee can hold up if he makes it through the season or it looks like he’s going to make it through the season I would extend him

[TheWeatherMan]

4 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

I'd love it too. But Mecole Hardman represents the most we could do. And I don't think even Hardman is likely. It would take him asking for too much and finding himself without a suitor deep into FA and willing to take less to play with a contender to try to improve his stock next season.

 

Hopkins is even less likely than him. We're 18+ million over the cap next season with Ed Oliver, Gabe Davis, Micah Hyde, Daquan Jones, Tyler Bass, and Tim Settle (amongst many other depth players and 1 year signings from this year) as Free Agents. 

 

As Beane said in his presser, he went all in getting Von last year and now can't afford to put himself in the hole further. On top of getting deeper into the hole, we'd also have to give up picks that we need to keep to replace people, given our cap situation.

I’m not sure where you’re seeing 10M over the cap next year.  All public references say we’re slightly under.  There’s a few players that will be cut next year, like Hines who saves 6M plus the cap is supposed to explode the next few years.  Beane is doing it right, locking up young talent early before the salary cap goes sky rocketing.  Can’t wait to see how much Burrows, Hurts, Tua, etc get.  

 

[BillsFanForever19]

1 hour ago, TheWeatherMan said:

I’m not sure where you’re seeing 10M over the cap next year.  All public references say we’re slightly under.  There’s a few players that will be cut next year, like Hines who saves 6M plus the cap is supposed to explode the next few years.  Beane is doing it right, locking up young talent early before the salary cap goes sky rocketing.  Can’t wait to see how much Burrows, Hurts, Tua, etc get.  

 

Not sure where you're seeing we're under the cap next year. First off - here's the breakdown. On the bottom of the page you'll see, we're 18 million over.

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/cap/2024/

 

Brandon Beane even mentioned that we're in the same situation next year in one of his press conferences when talking about how up against the cap we are this year.

Edited March 22, 2023 by BillsFanForever19

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

38 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

Not sure where you're seeing we're under the cap next year. First off - here's the breakdown. On the bottom of the page you'll see, we're 18 million over.

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/cap/2024/

 

Brandon Beane even mentioned that we're in the same situation next year in one of his press conferences when talking about how up against the cap we are this year.

So what you're saying is, he's mismanaged the cap?

[John from Riverside]

3 hours ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

So what you're saying is, he's mismanaged the cap?

Know what he really should be saying is we need to start hitting on more Draft picks and actually playing them

 

The GM will do what he always does. He will get it below the cap with some restructures, that we didn’t pull the levers on this year and cuts of players

 

 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Just now, John from Riverside said:

Know what he really should be saying is we need to start hitting on more Draft picks and actually playing them

 

The GM will do what he always does. He will get it below the cap with some restructures, that we didn’t pull the levers on this year and cuts of players

 

 

So, then you're saying he failed in the draft, then.

 

 

[John from Riverside]

1 minute ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

So, then you're saying he failed in the draft, then.

 

 

How many players have to hit in order for it not to be a failure in your opinion

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Just now, John from Riverside said:

How many players have to hit in order for it not to be a failure in your opinion

oh, i don't know, maybe more than 1 out of 5 DL taken would be nice.

 

[John from Riverside]

Just now, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

oh, i don't know, maybe more than 1 out of 5 DL taken would be nice.

 

Oliver is a good player just not up to his draft selection. He is a starter which is a hit.
 

groot has been one of the top edge centers in the NFL. He is a hit.

 

Basham isn’t looking good

 

Epenesa if he actually played more and didn’t play in a rotation would probably project out to more sacks

 

would you like to see more superstars given the amount of clout that’s been used yes

 

That doesn’t make them unsuccessful drafts

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

11 hours ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

I don’t care about that Bill coming due when the cap keeps going way up.

 

 

Everyone always says this. But my view has always been different. It goes up for all teams. Not just the Bills. Meaning no matter how much higher it goes up we maintain the same percentage of available cap space compared to all other teams. Players cost more and Bills get out bid for the ones they can't afford. 

 

The agents know the cap goes up so they are going to get more money for their clients. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

1 minute ago, John from Riverside said:

Oliver is a good player just not up to his draft selection. He is a starter which is a hit.
 

groot has been one of the top edge centers in the NFL. He is a hit.

 

Basham isn’t looking good

 

Epenesa if he actually played more and didn’t play in a rotation would probably project out to more sacks

 

would you like to see more superstars given the amount of clout that’s been used yes

 

That doesn’t make them unsuccessful drafts

 

[Royale with Cheese]

 

https://www.nfl.com/videos/jeremiah-bills-are-no-1-potential-landing-spot-for-deandre-hopkins

 

 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Just now, Royale with Cheese said:

 

https://www.nfl.com/videos/jeremiah-bills-are-no-1-potential-landing-spot-for-deandre-hopkins

 

 

Now THAT would make FA a success, IMO.

 

 

[SCBills]

1 minute ago, Sammy Watkins' Rib said:

 

Everyone always says this. But my view has always been different. It goes up for all teams. Not just the Bills. Meaning no matter how much higher it goes up we maintain the same percentage of available cap space compared to all other teams. Players cost more and Bills get out bid for the ones they can't afford. 

 

The agents know the cap goes up so they are going to get more money for their clients. 

 

Definitely true..  but you then see teams like the Jets, potentially taking on 20M dead cap hits on void years for Rodgers and you realize that teams certainly factor in the cap going up, some much more than the Bills.