NFL World Realizes Baltimore Are Where Great WRs Go To Die As Deandre Hopkins Signs With Ravens

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Veteran wide receiver Deandre Hopkins signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens this week. The five-time Pro Bowler has now played for five teams in his NFL career: the Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, and Ravens.

While Deandre Hopkins was a five-time Pro Bowler between 2015 and 2020, his production has tailed off in recent years. During the 2024 season with the Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs (Hopkins was traded at the deadline), Hopkins had 56 catches for 610 yards and scored 5 touchdowns in 16 games.

Hopkins — who is the NFL’s active leader in receiving yards with 12,965 — is now signing with the Baltimore Ravens, highlighting a trend of aging and formerly great wide receivers — such as Dez Bryant, Odell Beckham Jr., Steve Smith, and more — effectively “go to die,” i.e. finish out there careers with unremarkable returns.

Hopkins’ deal with the Ravens is for one-year and $5 million that could rise to $6 million.

In 2023, Hopkins expressed a desire to play with Ravens’ two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, calling him one of the greats.

“I would be lying to sit here and say it wouldn’t be an honor one day to play with a great guy and a great quarterback like Lamar,” Hopkins said on the I Am Athlete podcast.

The Ravens will be hoping adding a veteran pass catcher like Deandre Hopkins will help an offensive unit that’s been one of the most dominant in the NFL in recent years get over the hump and reach the Super Bowl for the first time in Jackson’s career.