Vikings reportedly passed on a trade for DeAndre Hopkins
By Adam Patrick
There were reported “rumblings,” of the Minnesota Vikings trading for DeAndre Hopkins.
Heading into the 2020 offseason, the Minnesota Vikings knew their time with wide receiver Stefon Diggs could potentially coming to an end.
Diggs’ relationship with the Vikings was crumbling and his desire to land somewhere else was only increasing as each day passed by. But if Minnesota was going to trade one of their top receivers, they needed to make sure they had a solid plan to replace his production in their offense.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, one idea for the Vikings that was floated around was a deal that would have sent Diggs to the Houston Texans in exchange for All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins. However, Minnesota was not interested according to Breer.
Why didn’t the Minnesota Vikings trade for DeAndre Hopkins?
In the end, Hopkins wound up getting dealt to the Arizona Cardinals, and then a little later on, the Vikings were eventually able to find a trade partner in the Buffalo Bills to complete a deal for Diggs.
Did Minnesota make a mistake by not trading for Hopkins though? The easy answer would be yes since he’s earned three First-Team All-Pro selections since 2017, but the deal that the Vikings actually ended up completing with the Bills will likely turn out to be better for the future of the franchise.
As impressive as Hopkins is still currently performing, it’s fair to believe that at 28-years-old, he probably only has a few high-level seasons left in him. With Adam Thielen already being 30-years-old, investing in another high-priced veteran receiver who could be nearing the end of his prime is something that Minnesota probably wasn’t interested in doing.
Instead, the Vikings acquired a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft from Buffalo and they proceeded to use that selection on former LSU receiver Justin Jefferson. Through 13 games this season, Jefferson leads all rookies in catches and receiving yards while his seven touchdowns are the second-most among first-year wide receivers.
With Jefferson only being 21-years-old and costing less than $4.5 million per season until 2024, it’s safe to say everything has turned out just fine after Minnesota turned down the chance to acquire Hopkins.