DeAndre Hopkins to the Minnesota Vikings?

Former NFL superstar DeAndre Hopkins is looking for a new team as he heads into his 14th season in 2026. Hopkins will be 34 years old heading into the season and spent the past year with the Baltimore Ravens, putting up 330 yards and two touchdowns on 22 catches.

(Ron Jenkins/AP)

Naturally, you would expect his production to see an increase if he were to join the Minnesota Vikings as their clear-cut third wide receiver option. This is without even mentioning the history between Hopkins and the Vikings’ expected starting quarterback, Kyler Murray.

The two spent three seasons together in Arizona from 2020–2022, with the most impressive coming in 2020 when Hopkins went for 1,407 yards and six touchdowns on 115 catches. It is certainly an intriguing option for the Vikings to pair Hopkins — once a top receiver in the league — with current superstar Justin Jefferson and young standout Jordan Addison. The question we need to ask, though, is whether Hopkins still has it as a third option and whether the Vikings would even consider bringing him in.

Since 2023, Hopkins has put up seasons of 1,057, 610, and 330 yards. In that same span, he has totaled 14 touchdowns. You can see the decline from his time as a true No. 1 option and the transition into a complementary role, but who’s to say he can’t adapt into a really good third receiver at this stage of his career?

The overall stats may not be the prettiest over the past two seasons, but when you look at snap share, the conversation gets more interesting. Hopkins, as a third option in Baltimore, only saw a 33% snap share, while the Vikings’ third wide receiver in the Kevin O’Connell era has averaged a 67.25% snap share.

Hopkins would likely see an increase in production in a high-powered Minnesota offense run by Kevin O’Connell and Kyler Murray. He even said it himself, noting he’d be open to joining the Vikings to reunite with his former quarterback in a TMZ Sports interview this week:

“If Kyler need me he know I’m there, if the Vikings need me they know I’ll be there… I think Kyler fits in perfect there… one of the best accurate quarterbacks in the game and his stats show that.”

It would be very surprising if the Vikings rolled into the 2026 season with Tai Felton as the only receiver in that third role, considering his minimal production as a rookie in 2025. That doesn’t mean they don’t believe in him, but offering no competition in the room — specifically a veteran — wouldn’t make much sense at all in a season that appears to be in win-now mode.

Hearing the names Kyler Murray, Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson, and DeAndre Hopkins on Sundays would feel surreal — especially if you told me that a year ago. Hopkins could also be a strong mentor for guys like Tai Felton and Jordan Addison as they continue to navigate their young NFL careers, while still bringing much-needed skill to the deeper part of the wide receiver room.

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