A front-runner has emerged to sign free-agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
KPRC’s Aaron Wilson reports that the Cleveland Browns are the ‘leading candidate’ to sign Hopkins, reuniting him with his former quarterback in Houston, Deshaun Watson.
Watson and Hopkins played together from 2017-19. The connection produced 264 completions for 3,343 yards and 25 touchdowns.
“Of course, we would love to have him,” Watson told the Cleveland media recently. “He knows that. We had a lot of connections, but that’s kind of out of my range of things, of kind of coordinating things. So all I can do is make a call and see what happens and let (Browns general manager Andrew Berry) do the rest.”
Hopkins could fit into the X role with Amari Cooper playing the Z position and Elijah Moore in the slot.
“Me and D-Hop, we just naturally talk. We’ve been talking since the Houston days and then also whenever he left for Arizona, we were always talking. He’s always been a brother of mine since how I was coming out of high school. Our connection, our relationship, has always been great.”
The 30-year-old receiver reeled in 64 passes for 717 yards and three touchdowns last season for the Cardinals during a suspension-shortened season. Arizona couldn’t find a trade partner this offseason and cut him.
