Ravens news: DeAndre Hopkins trade rumors, Gronk fanboys over Joe Burrow, more
By Kristen Wong
The Baltimore Ravens desperately need wide receiver help, and Cardinals’ DeAndre Hopkins is rumored to be on the trading block. Could this be a match made in heaven?
Recent reports reveal that the Arizona Cardinals plan to trade the star receiver this offseason as the franchise goes through a rebuild. Hopkins has two years and roughly $34 million left on his contract, and he’ll come at the cost of at least a few substantial draft picks.
The Ravens loathe parting with any draft capital whatsoever and haven’t prioritized their wideout corps in recent years (except for that Rashod Bateman first-round pick), but Hopkins should still be on the radar.
In 2022, after serving a six-game suspension, Hopkins recorded 64 catches for 717 yards and three touchdowns in nine games.
It’s worth noting that Hopkins will have a say in picking his potential new home given the no-trade clause in his contract.
CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin was one of many pundits who named the Ravens as a top landing spot for Hopkins:
"This one checks all the boxes: the Ravens desperately need a bona fide No. 1 WR for Lamar Jackson, they’ve got an abundance of cap space ($52.6M) to spend, they offer a chance to contend, and there’s even a slight personal connection; tight ends coach George Godsey was the Texans’ offensive coordinator from 2015-2016, when Hopkins made his Pro Bowl debut with a 1,500-yard breakout."
Here’s what’s trending in Ravens news around the web
Count Gronk as a Joe Burrow fan. The former Buccaneers tight end told Kay Adams on the Up & Adams show that Cincinnati will send Baltimore home disappointed this Sunday and that Burrow will lead the Bengals to another deep playoff run.
He briefly alluded to Roquan Smith’s extension, saying that the Ravens “can sign whoever they want for a hundred million dollars, it is not going to stop Joe Burrow… Joe Burrow is gonna decimate your secondary.”
As powerful as the Bengals’ offense has been in recent weeks, Joe Burrow has not in fact found much success against the Ravens’ defense in two meetings this season. He recorded 217 passing yards and one touchdown against one interception in Week 5, and he recorded 215 passing yards and one touchdown in Week 18.
We’ll just have to see on Sunday.
Jim Harbaugh considered a top Denver Broncos head coach candidate (Tyler Conway, Bleacher Report)
Could John Harbaugh face his brother in the AFC next season? The Denver Broncos are looking to replace head coach Nathaniel Hackett and have their eyes on Jim Harbaugh, who is currently Michigan’s head coach.
Harbaugh is flirting with an NFL return for the second straight offseason and may feel like he has unfinished business given how badly his stint on the San Francisco 49ers ended back in 2014.
Bengals WR Tee Higgins not spotted at practice on Wednesday (Josh Alper, ProFootballTalk)
Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins was not present at Wednesday’s practice and is reportedly dealing with a hip injury, though there’s been no official word from the team.
Higgins briefly exited Week 18’s matchup against the Ravens but returned to the game; he finished with just one catch for seven yards.
Losing Higgins would throw a wrench in the Bengals’ offense and make the Ravens’ defense job much easier when the Wild Card game rolls around. For now, though, Baltimore should still expect to face Higgins until more information is revealed.
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