The New Orleans Saints should’ve traded for DeAndre Hopkins

Houston Texans stud wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was on the trading block, should the New Orleans Saints have gotten a proposal in?

Well, Hopkins wasn’t on the block long as the star receiver has already been traded to the Arizona Cardinals. The Texans certainly aren’t afraid to make a trade or two; last season, they unloaded Laremy Tunsil and Jadeveon Clowney. The New Orleans Saints should’ve gotten in on the action then and should’ve been a bigger factor now.

Given the Saints’ highest offseason priority is, arguably, wide receiver, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Saints and Hopkins linked as the rumor mill churned on Monday.

But should Mickey Loomis have made a play?

Hopkins’ 11.2 yards-per-catch last season were a career-low. At 27 years old, Hopkins is either entering his prime or just past it, making him a gamble for any team looking to acquire the star receiver that burst into the league in 2013.

The Saints, however, are in the favorable position of not necessarily needing any more star power. New Orleans doesn’t need Hopkins to play at an all-star level. They just needed him to be the sure-handed target he’s been over the course of his career.

Additionally, Hopkins’ contract is surprisingly tradeable.

Any team acquiring him would have him for three years at $40 million, making him an ideal target. Hopkins made roughly $13.9 million last year, meaning the Saints, at 7.5 million in cap space, would have had to do some reworking but not much.

They could have easily restructured a few deals on the roster to fit Hopkins in.

The Saints may want to take their chances on a younger, cheaper receiver either in the draft or in free agency.

After the Bengals tagged A.J. Green, their options for veteran help were running low, and now they’re even lower. But Hopkins has far fresher legs than Green does, and he’s arguably the most sure-handed receiver in the league outside Michael Thomas.

Sadly, he won’t be a Saint.

Acquiring DeAndre Hopkins would have needed a lot of contract maneuvering and probably a top 50 pick as well. Would it have it been worth it? We shall never know.