Seahawks could end up facing DeAndre Hopkins after all

Arguably the top free agent on the market right now is former Arizona Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins. I think it’s reasonable to say the Seattle Seahawks aren’t looking at landing Hopkins, and there’s been zero reporting to suggest otherwise. However, of the teams that are in the running for the five-time All-Pro selection, two of them will be making a trip to Seattle this season.

As relayed by ESPN Cleveland’s Brad Stainbrook, Sal Paolantonio reported that the Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers, and New England Patriots are in the running to sign Hopkins. It looks as if the Patriots are the favorites, but obviously nothing is set in stone.

So far Hopkins has visited with the Tennessee Titans and Patriots, but neither the Browns nor Panthers. Our pals (but enemies this October) at Dawgs by Nature have heard that Hopkins has an interest in coming to Cleveland, where he’d be reunited with former Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson.

The Carolina angle is an easy one because Hopkins is from Clemson, South Carolina and went to school at Clemson. This is as close as you can get to a homecoming as geographically possible. Number one overall pick Bryce Young would have Hopkins and Adam Thielen as his top two receivers.

If Hopkins goes with either Cleveland or Carolina, both of those teams are on Seattle’s home schedule this season. The one time the Seahawks faced Hopkins last season he was limited to just 4 catches for 36 yards and a touchdown, with that TD coming on a busted coverage with Boye Mafe as the closest defender. After a mostly healthy career, Hopkins was beset by injuries (and a PED suspension) in his final two years in Arizona, so it’s fair to question if the 31-year-old still has much left to offer, but maybe a change of scenery can bring back something close to the best version of him.

...And for the sake of this year’s schedule, let that change of scenery be in New England.