3 reasons DeAndre Hopkins won’t sign with the Cleveland Browns

Reason No. 1: DeAndre Hopkins has lost a step

Last but certainly not least, the biggest reason the Cleveland Browns should not have an interest in Hopkins is his decrease in production. He may only be 31 years old, but his body has a lot of miles on it and there is no doubt he is wearing down.

Think about this, if Hopkins is such a stud, why did the Cardinals release him and why has he lasted 10-plus days as a free agent? I’m not saying he can’t still be a productive player in the NFL, but the All-Pro days and 1,400-yard seasons appear to be behind him.

In the last two seasons, he has missed 14 games and accounted for under 1,300 yards receiving. Those aren’t horrific numbers, but not worth $15 million per year either. The Browns have plenty of guys who are always hurt, no need to add another.

I get that Watson and Hopkins know each other from their time in Houston. And while that means something, unless Hopkins' number of what he wants in a contract comes down, I don’t see a scenario where Berry sticks his neck out like that. 

This team already has a lot of big-name players under large contracts, and has plenty of young depth at the position already. The only way Hopkins will end up on this roster in 2023 is if he goes unsigned and someone like Cooper or DPJ ends up getting hurt and they get desperate.