The Future of DeAndre Hopkins

[popanot]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

Just as with trading Stocks & Bonds and Real Estate, timing is everything of course when trading NFL players and I think we are well passed the most opportunistic time period to trade JJ as he's now damaged goods.

I don't think that at all. I think teams like Green Bay, DAL, AZ, NE, SEA - multiple teams - would offer a player and/or picks and gamble on JJ.

[HPF Bob]

I think J.J. has to be back on the field before any team takes that chance unless you decide to take one fragile big contract player for him (say, Tony Romo).

The old baseball adage is that you don't want to overpay for a closer because too many pitchers can do the job well enough if given the chance. I think we're reaching a phase when you don't want to overpay for a WR because it seems like every year another six-to-eight guys at 6-2 or above and monster college stats come out of the draft so you can easily find one among the top 50 selections. It's become a glamor position and a lot of guys with NBA-type height and track-star speed are choosing to play football instead of basketball or some other sport.

IOW, Hopkins becomes less special when you notice how many other teams have young, talented wide receivers that are close to the same efficiency. Even if that receiver is slightly less skilled than D-Hop, paying him 1/4th of D-Hop's salary does make sense cap-wise, particularly when your QB is so ordinary.

That's the difference between D-Hop and J.J. Watt. When healthy, Watt is in the stratosphere of players at his position - a truly rare find. D-Hop, at his best, is maybe a top-10 receiver and you can list off a handful of WRs that are clearly better.

[Keith]

Zero chance imo Hopkins nets even a late first. I'd send him off for a second rounder... only because I doubt he extends his contract to play out his prime in Houston. So, either get Hop for another year and he walks away with merely a chance at a compensatory pick in return, or lose his last year and get a 2nd rounder.

Another year of maturity (and health?) and Braxton Miller can probably suitably replace Hopkins as a possession receiver, and the team already invested a first rounder in a promising rookie in Fuller. If the Texans had a QB who moved the ball around and could read his progressions, then sure having the depth at WR would pay dividends. It won't with whomever is under center in 2017.

Hopkins is nowhere near the talent that Andre Johnson was imo, too. I didn't create this thread to trash on Hop because I do think he is a really good player, but he just isn't in the same stratosphere as Johnson was at the same point in his career, no matter what the stats indicate.