A former Pro Bowl wide receiver could be headed to the Lone Star State, if the oddsmakers know what they are talking about.
On Friday, the Arizona Cardinals announced DeAndre Hopkins had been released. Hopkins had been in Arizona since being traded there by the Texans in March of 2020. Houston got running back David Johnson and draft picks.
Hopkins was selected by the Texans in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Clemson. He played seven seasons in Houston before spending the last three in Arizona, where the last two, he was reunited with another former Texans’ star JJ Watt.
Now that he's a free agent, the Dallas Cowboys have the best hypothetical odds to sign Hopkins, according to oddsmaker Adam Thompson from Bookies.com.
Bookies.com provides bettors with up-to-date sports news and betting information to help with the best sports betting operators.
Thompson gives the Cowboys a 22.2% chance of signing Hopkins with the New York Jets (16.7%), Kansas City Chiefs (16.7%) and Carolina Panthers (11.8%) behind them.
The full list of Thompson's odds includes:
- Dallas Cowboys +350 (22.2%)
- New York Jets +500 (16.7%)
- Kansas City Chiefs +500 (16.7%)
- Carolina Panthers +750 (11.8%)
- Detroit Lions +1000 (9.1%)
- Buffalo Bills +1000 (9.1%)
- Baltimore Ravens +1200 (7.7%)
- New England Patriots +1500 (6.3%)
- The Field +400 (20%)
Dallas hasn’t been willing to throw their cap dollars at top-tier free agents over the last decade or so, but Hopkins could be an exception.
Earlier in the offseason, there was speculation the Cowboys would be willing to trade for Hopkins, but it never materialized and they pivoted to sending the Houston Texans a couple of draft picks for wide receiver Brandin Cooks. Now, the team can add Hopkins without having to give up draft compensation.
The expected cost to sign Hopkins seems like it’s going to be higher than the team is willing to spend their cap dollars.
Even if the cost will be cheaper than the rumored $23 million asking price, it likely won’t come down to a place where the Cowboys are comfortable. In this case, it’s hard to blame the organization if they pass on adding Hopkins.
Hopkins would make Dallas’ offense even better, there is little doubt about that. But the contract it would take to sign him makes adding the wide receiver a longshot. The Cowboys could use another veteran receiving option to fill out the depth chart, but it likely won’t be Hopkins.