Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins teamed up for four seasons on the Houston Texans and enjoyed quite a bit of success together. So it’s no surprise that Watson would love to team up with Hopkins again — this time on a different team.
Hopkins is now a free agent after being cut by the Arizona Cardinals. He is exploring his options and may be looking at a few AFC contenders as his next team. And Watson, who is with the Browns, is hoping Hopkins will come to Cleveland.
“Me and D-Hop, we just naturally talk,” Watson said of Hopkins Tuesday from a Browns charity golf event. “We’ve been talking since the Houston days. … He’s always been a brother of mine. … Our connection, our relationship has always been great. … Of course, we would love to have him. He knows that.”
Watson believes the Browns check all the boxes that would interest Hopkins.
Hopkins turns 31 in a week. He had 64 catches for 717 yards and 3 touchdowns in nine games last season with Arizona. He had 42 catches for 572 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2021.
Hopkins has not been playing full seasons nor putting up huge stats the last few years. There are some questions about how much of a difference-maker he remains. But we know what Watson thinks of his ex-teammate. Whether he can convince the Browns’ front office to sign Hopkins — and whether Hopkins would choose Cleveland over other teams — are different questions.
