The Denver Broncos don't exactly need to sign DeAndre Hopkins, but let's make an argument for why they might just need to. DeAndre Hopkins is a star wide receiver who is now a free agent and free to sign with any team that he wants to.
Two of the biggest fits for Hopkins that have been floated for a while now are the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills. Both teams could use another pass catcher on offense, and both teams are obviously Super Bowl contenders.
That would be a classic move of the rich getting richer, and adding Hopkins to one of those teams would almost seem unfair for the rest of the league. I think there are some arguments to be made for why the Broncos need to take a swing and sign DeAndre Hopkins.
3 reasons the Denver Broncos should sign DeAndre Hopkins
1. Hopkins doesn't have a shortlist of teams he wants to go to
Here's what ESPN's Jeremy Fowler had to say about DeAndre Hopkins:
"DeAndre Hopkins, I’m told, is sorting out potential free agency visits that he could take in the coming days, Fowler said on SportsCenter on Saturday morning, per Bleacher Report. He’s not overly rushed here, though. I was told that basically minicamp is a soft deadline, training camp in late July is more of a hard deadline. And so, he’s looking at the entire league. This is not a situation where he is only looking to play with certain quarterbacks, or a short list. He’s pretty open-minded here is what shakes down."Jeremy Fowler
According to Fowler, who is well-connected, Hopkins doesn't necessarily have a shortlist of who he wants to play with and appears to be very open as to who he plays for. This could end up being excellent news for the Broncos, who have a very attractive piece in place with their head coach.
If he's open to potentially playing with any team that makes a strong enough case, why shouldn't the Broncos pursue? They have state-of-the-art facilities, a strong defense, stable ownership and management, and an elite offensive head coach. What more could Hopkins realistically want?
3 reasons the Denver Broncos should sign DeAndre Hopkins
2. Broncos could get some draft capital back because of this
So, if the Broncos were to sign DeAndre Hopkins, that could make someone like Courtland Sutton expendable. It was reported that the Broncos had almost traded him to the Baltimore Ravens earlier this offseason, which is significant.
If the team were to sign Hopkins, they'd have a logjam at wide receiver, which is almost weird to think about given how inconsistent the room has been recently.
The Broncos could then shop Courtland Sutton after signing Hopkins if they wanted. Now, if the team were to do this, they may not have a ton of leverage with other teams if they would begin to actively shop Sutton after signing Hopkins.
Teams may see the logjam at wide receiver and try to get Sutton for a deal, but if two sides could come to an agreement on a trade package that's fair for both sides, then I think it's feasible. A WR room of Hopkins, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, Marvin Mims Jr, and Marquez Callaway becomes the best in the NFL.
3 reasons the Denver Broncos should sign DeAndre Hopkins
3. Sign him so another AFC contender can't
It's simple, really. Sign DeAndre Hopkins so he doesn't get signed by the Chiefs, Bills, Browns, or any other AFC team who is in a position to win. It sounds petty and naive, and it is, but playing keep away has surely happened before in the NFL, and the Broncos should participate if they feel like a contender in their conference or even division is close to getting him.
Denver should have enough cap space to make this move happen, so money shouldn't be an issue there. Would Sean Payton play this game, though? I do think Denver is firmly satisfied with who they have in this room, so the odds of this signing happening are likely very low, but I think there is substance to the idea that a team like the Chiefs could find a way to get him.
The Broncos need to be in the business of doing everything possible to make life harder for their division and conference rivals. Even though Hopkins is apparently open to signing with any team, that doesn't mean in the back of his head he doesn't want to play with someone like Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen.