4 reasons the NY Jets should try to sign DeAndre Hopkins

2. The NY Jets can save 2023 cap space by signing DeAndre Hopkins

Another reason some have pushed back on the idea that the Jets should sign DeAndre Hopkins is the potential financial ramifications. After all, this is a team that's still looking to sort out Aaron Rodgers' contract and extend star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.

Surely they should be looking to allocate their funds elsewhere, right? Not exactly.

The Jets might actually be able to save 2023 cap space by signing Hopkins. That is, of course, if they combine the move with the release of Corey Davis — which would be the anticipated outcome.

Davis has a cap hit of $11.17 million in 2023 but can be released (or traded) at any time to save the Jets $10.5 million in cap space. That money can be directly used to sign Hopkins.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport made an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday to discuss Hopkins' situation, and he revealed that his contract is expected to be similar to the deal that Michael Thomas signed earlier this offseason.

Thomas agreed to a one-year, $10 million contract that could be worth up to $15 million in incentives back in March. Rapoport also compared Hopkins' expected contract to Odell Beckham's deal with the Baltimore Ravens.

Through the use of a void year in 2024, Beckham's cap hit is under $4 million this season. The Jets haven't shied away from using void years to push money into the future this offseason. That's one option they could explore.

Either way, it's hard to imagine a scenario where Hopkins' cap hit is higher than Davis' projected $11.17 million cap charge this season. That means the Jets should be able to save 2023 cap space by releasing Davis and signing Hopkins as his replacement.

So yes, the Jets can absolutely afford to rework Aaron Rodgers' deal, extend Quinnen Williams, and sign DeAndre Hopkins. Money shouldn't be a concern.