Why the NY Jets should trade for DeAndre Hopkins

The NY Jets shocked the NFL world and decided to trade wide receiver Elijah Moore and a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft for a second-round pick, pick 43, in the same draft.

This now gives the Jets picks 13, 42, and 43 in this upcoming draft. It is widely speculated that the pick could be used to sweeten a trade for Aaron Rodgers.

More importantly, this creates an opening on the Jets' wide receiver depth chart. This trade came on the heels of the Jets making a move to bring in speedy slot receiver Mecole Hardman previously of the Kansas City Chiefs.

However, with Corey Davis rumored to be a potential roster cut, the Jets would only be left with Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, and Hardman on the roster. They need to add someone.

The Jets are known to have a mutual interest in Odell Beckham Jr on a short-term deal, but I think there is someone better out there they can acquire. DeAndre Hopkins is better, played football last year, and fits the Jets' offense much better.

1. DeAndre Hopkins is better than Odell Beckham

Hopkins is my personal favorite wide receiver still available this offseason. Although still technically on the roster for the Arizona Cardinals, they have been shopping him all offseason to anyone who would listen. Hopkins is a five-time Pro Bowler and a five-time All-Pro.

Comparing career accolades, Hopkins has hauled in 853 catches for over 11,000 yards and 71 touchdowns. Beckham, although very talented as well, has career numbers of 531 catches for 7,367 yards and 56 touchdowns.

Hopkins has only played one additional season than Beckham and would be 31 at the start of training camp this year. Beckham would be 31 by the end of the season, so they are relatively the same age.

Assuming that playing with Aaron Rodgers allows both players to get back some of their former selves, Hopkins in his prime, was the best wide receiver in football. Between 2018 and 2020, Hopkins averaged over 100 catches for over 1,250 yards and eight touchdowns.

Those are unreal numbers.

Again, although great, Beckham's prime goes all the way back to 2014 to 2016 with the New York Giants, where he only topped 100 receptions once. Since 2016, he has only topped 75 catches once and has been below 50 four times in the same span.

2. DeAndre Hopkins played last year

The stats prove the point that Hopkins, at his best, is better, and was at his best far more recently. Specifically looking at last year, Beckham missed the entire season with a torn ACL suffered in the Super Bowl while playing with the Rams. Hopkins posted 64 catches for 717 yards and three touchdowns.

Hopkins' stats last year would have solidified him as the second receiver in the Jets' offense behind only Garrett Wilson.

Even looking at the new additions of Allen Lazard and Mecole Hardman, Hopkins' still posted better stats than them last year. Throw in the fact Hopkins did that in just nine games, and Hopkins can still play at a high level.

Expanding the scope out though, Hopkins's averages over the last four years when he was 27-30 are 12 games played, 82 receptions, 960 yards, and six touchdowns.

Beckham, over the last four seasons, during the ages of 27-30, has averaged nine games played, 35 catches, 472 yards, and three touchdowns.

Although Hopkins has also missed games the last few years, it is also clear that he has played much more consistently than Beckham and at a far higher level when both have been healthy.

Even though Beckham seems to be healthy now, he is far more of an injury liability than Hopkins at this point.

3. DeAndre Hopkins fits the NY Jets better

The reason Hopkins earns my top spot on the list though is because of his seamless transition into the Jets' offense. At 6-foot-1 his ability to high point the football, make contested catches, and go over the top of defenders brings an added dimension to the offense, especially if Aaron Rodgers is throwing the ball.

Additionally, this would allow Hopkins and Lazard, two big and physical wide receivers, to line up on the outside, and Garrett Wilson and Mecole Hardman to operate out of the slot. Imagine trying to defensively match up with those four across the field and the one-on-one matchups that Rodgers could pick apart.

What's really important for the Jets, though, is that this would allow Wilson to go back to his more natural position in the slot. Wilson is such a twitchy, fast athlete with exceptional shot bursts of speed, quickness, and agility.

Allowing him to use that in the short-to-intermediate routes that the slot features would be a huge upgrade for the offense instead of sending him on go routes or comebacks, which are usually seen on the outside of formations.

Signing Beckham would be pretty much signing an older version of Garrett Wilson. Both players are smaller, slighter in figure, and utilize crisp route running to create separation.

Beckham is past the days of blowing past corners on deep routes and lacks the true red-zone ability of someone like Hopkins or Lazard.

Where does he slide into formations? Most likely as a decoy on the outside, getting occasional targets on a week-to-week basis. Hopkins is just better at that skill.

4. Asking price

Arizona's current asking price is rumored to be a second-round pick, which the Jets just did pick up in the trade for Moore.

However, many have stated that the more reasonable trade package is closer to what Houston just received for Brandin Cooks — a fifth and future sixth-round pick. If Hopkins can be had for just a couple of Day 3 draft picks, this makes all the sense in the world for the Jets to explore.

Hopkins does come with a big price tag. He currently holds a $30 million cap hit, including a base salary of over $19 million. As with most trades, could the Jets include more draft capital to force Arizona to cover some or most of the salary cap hit? Probably, yes.

I think something like a fourth-rounder and a sixth-rounder could be the final deal, with Arizona also covering a portion of the salary owed to Hopkins. Moving that up to a third and sixth could get more of that salary covered too.

Beckham is a free agent this season. He would require the Jets to give up none of their draft capital. With the fear of giving up a lot of draft picks to acquire Rodgers, Beckham supporters could argue that giving up more for Hopkins might not be the best move. However, Beckham would certainly not be cheap.

Original reports suggested Beckham was seeking $15-20 million per year, on a multi-year deal. Beckham had many teams interested, and it seemed he might get that type of deal.

As teams have slowly filled out rosters though, Beckham's suitors have also begun to disappear. Recently, Beckham called the $15-20 million number false but suggested he wanted more than $4 million.

A final number could settle around $9-12 million, and probably a two-year deal with possible incentives tied in.

When you take into account the difference in production, the relatively solid health of Hopkins over the years, and the likelihood Beckham brings the drama with him on and off the field, the minor differences in salary don't amount to much.