DeAndre Hopkins believes Mike Vrabel will ‘maximize my potential’
Spirits are high in Tennessee with the Titans officially signing wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to their team today. The contract is for two years, and worth up to $32 million with incentives.
Entering his 11th NFL season, Hopkins seems very confident that Nashville is the right place for him. His reasoning was based less on the team’s situation and centered more on the people within the Titans organization.
“I wanted to be somewhere where I knew people had my best interests,” he said. “Not just on the field but off the field as well.”
Hopkins also cited Titans head coach Mike Vrabel as a major reason why he chose to sign with Tennessee. Hopkins and Vrabel spent four seasons together in Houston when Vrabel was a linebacker coach and defensive coordinator.
“Vrabel is a straight-shooter, and over my career he has always checked in on me,” Hopkins said. “Even when I was in Houston, he was a defensive coach, but he would still check on me just to see how I was doing – that always stuck with me, and I always wanted to be around people like that. I always wanted to be somewhere where I knew I could maximize my potential, not just as a player, but as DeAndre. And I knew Vrabel, being around him, that’s what he brings out of you.”
First impressions of Titans first-year general manager Ran Carthon were also very positive for DeAndre Hopkins.
“Ran, we kicked it off instantly,” he said. “And I know what he is trying to do with this organization, and I want to be part of it.”
Although one of the best receivers of the last decade, many believe Hopkins’s high production years are over. Whether that is the case or not will be answered very soon.
Many forget that just two seasons ago, the Titans entered the AFC playoffs as the number one seed. They lost to Joe Burrow and the Bengals in upset fashion and have arguably not been the same team since.
After starting last season with a 7-3 record, Tennessee completely collapsed and lost their final seven games in a row. The most heartbreaking loss came in Week 18 in Jacksonville with the AFC South division title on the line.
A major reason for the Titans’ downfall last season was their decision to trade AJ Brown to the Eagles. A lack of any real deep threat allowed opposing defenses to focus completely on stopping Derrick Henry. Tennessee is clearly hoping the addition of Hopkins can fill the glaring hole in the Titans offense.
DeAndre Hopkins, 31, cannot be expected to carry the Titans’ offense the way he did in Houston. Henry is still a monster and will be the best running back Hopkins has ever shared the field with. Yet inconsistent play over the past couple of seasons from his new quarterback Ryan Tannehill makes Hopkins’s decision a little questionable.
Treylon Burks, its 2022 first-round pick, will need to produce after a disappointing rookie campaign to divert attention from Hopkins. Rookie quarterback Will Levis is also waiting in the wings for his chance to replace Tannehill.
There are more questions than answers surrounding the Titans organization at the moment. Whether or not Hopkins will be enough to get them back to the playoffs is definitely one of the biggest. If not, Vrabel will likely find himself on the coaching hot seat very quickly.
***
SUBSCRIBE to the Vendetta YouTube Channel!
SHOP for Vendetta Merch!
SUPPORT Vendetta on Patreon!
CHECK OUT our Vendetta NFL Content Here.
