The wide receiver position was a major question mark for the Detroit Lions entering the 2024 season, as there was no guarantee Jameson Williams would successfully move into the No. 2 role, and things were uncertain at the No. 3 spot.
Thankfully, Williams has been able to answer the bell, and Tim Patrick has begun to step up into the No. 3 job on the boundary after a season-best performance in Week 4. That has allowed Kalif Raymond to ideally slip into the No. 4 role.
But next year, the Lions could be back in a similar boat to the one they were in going into the 2024 campaign, as Patrick isn't guaranteed to be around in 2025 because of his one-year contract.
Knowing that, Bleacher Report's scouting department believes Detroit could make a play for Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in 2025 free agency.
While Amon-Ra St. Brown is coming off an All-Pro campaign and Jameson Williams is starting to find his stride, the Lions could use one more wideout to fill the third spot on the depth chart. Also, Tim Patrick and Allen Robinson are only on one-year deals, so the team will need someone to fill the void.
Hopkins isn't the player he used to be, but he can still be productive with over 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns last season while working with two starting quarterbacks. Also, the 32-year-old might be willing to take a cheaper deal if it means playing for a Super Bowl contender.
It is worth noting that Hopkins could be out of Nashville as soon as this year. The Titans are going nowhere fast at 1-3 and the veteran wideout is in the final year of his deal. If the Lions want Hopkins, they could make a play for him at the trade deadline this year.
While Hopkins will turn 33 next June, he did show he had plenty left in the tank in 2023 after posting a 1,000-yard season despite Tennessee's issues at quarterback and along the offensive line.
Hopkins has gotten off to a slow start in 2024, but there are multiple things at play there. Not only has the quarterback and offensive line play been shoddy once again, Hopkins also hasn't been playing a full complement of snaps.
That's odd considering Tennessee's issues on offense. It was assumed Hopkins was on a pitch count due to a knee injury he's playing through, but head coach Brian Callahan has since confirmed that is not the case.
Whatever the case may be, even if Hopkins is on the decline, he's still a better option than Patrick, and the Lions wouldn't need him as anything more than the No. 3 option, and quite possibly the No. 4 with tight end Sam LaPorta in the mix.
Not to mention, with Hopkins' ability to play inside and out, he'd be a fantastic insurance policy for Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
