After a productive debut in Tennessee, DeAndre Hopkins seems set to see his preparation for his second season finish early. The previous All-Professional broad receiver is anticipated to overlook a number of weeks with a knee damage.
Hopkins sustained a strained knee throughout observe this week, in response to veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky, who signifies a four- to six-week absence is on faucet. Week 1 will happen throughout this timeline, making Hopkins’ restoration one to watch. ESPN.com’s Turron Davenport confirms the Titans are optimistic about Hopkins avoiding any missed video games.
Though the Titans added Calvin Ridley on a big-ticket deal and signed former Brian Callahan Bengals cost Tyler Boyd, they’re nonetheless relying on Hopkins to play a key function. The late-2010s first-team All-Professional staple produced his seventh 1,000-yard season with the Titans in 2023, persevering with to make a stable Corridor of Fame case. If this damage timetable is correct, the achieved wideout has a change to re-emerge simply earlier than Week 1.
This isn’t the primary time Hopkins has run into knee hassle. An MCL tear knocked him out for an prolonged stretch throughout the Cardinals’ 2021 playoff season; Hopkins missed seven video games that 12 months and was unavailable for Arizona’s wild-card contest. He then missed the closing two Cardinals video games in 2022 as a result of a knee flareup.
Arizona, which employed a brand new regime headed by ex-Tennessee exec Monti Ossenfort quickly after, launched Hopkins months later. The previous Texans star did rebound in his Titans debut, however his latest historical past of knee points is all of the sudden related once more. That mentioned, Davenport provides it is a left knee damage; Hopkins sustained the MCL tear to his proper knee. Hopkins continued to observe with a wrap on his left knee Wednesday, per Davenport, but it surely seems the Titans didn’t like what they noticed and are shutting him down.
Because the Titans’ high wideout final season, Hopkins bounced again by enjoying in all 17 video games and totaling 1,057 yards — his first 1,000-yard 12 months since 2020. Working as a key a part of Will Levis‘ growth, Hopkins caught seven landing passes. The Titans paid up so as to add assist by way of Ridley, and Boyd performed underneath Callahan for 5 of his eight Bengals seasons. The Titans even have 2022 first-rounder Treylon Burks, who seems poised to see some run with the primary unit whereas Hopkins recovers. This might characterize a key alternative for Burks, who has underwhelmed since Jon Robinson selected him minutes after the A.J. Brown commerce.
The Titans have Hopkins on a two-year, $26M deal; they outbid the Patriots and Chiefs for the veteran — after a much-discussed free company derby — final summer time. He earned a $4.1M roster bonus by remaining a Titan on Day 5 of the 2024 league 12 months.
Tennessee’s new teaching workers is closely invested in Ridley, however Hopkins stays a key a part of the franchise’s Levis growth. Hopkins spoke earlier this month on an curiosity in signing a second Titans contract, expressing his satisfaction since becoming a member of the group. His subsequent step might be to return by the point the Titans are getting ready to face the Bears in September.
