I have to wait to see if this makes it into next week’s mailbag, and it could very well be answered by then. But I just saw on NFL.com that DeAndre Hopkins is available and would love to link back up with Kyler Murray for next season.
Now that I’ve put my rose-colored glasses back in the nostalgia drawer, let’s try to look at it from a logical angle. Hopkins has been one of the most electrifying receivers during his career, but he’s also 33, and it’s been a few years removed from his prime performances.
And after shedding and/or restructuring the contracts of multiple roster spots, the Vikings still have holes to fill. But with a quarterbacks room filled with a history of injuries, the protection up front should be the priority as free agency and the draft cycle through.
Granted, beyond the coming season there are too many unknown variables regarding our future at quarterback. Will J.J. McCarthy make the leap ala Bo Nix, Drake Maye, Caleb Williams, C.J. Stroud or Jayden Daniels, or take a nosedive akin to Johnny Manziel, Anthony Richardson, Christian Ponder or “fill in the blank”?
And even though he missed his rookie year after getting injured in the 2024 preseason, J.J.’s fifth-year option and an extension will be staring management in the face next year. And Jordan Addison will be ripe for an extension next year. And Dallas Turner’s growth will warrant one. And who knows who else will be deserving of (or demanding) a new contract in a year?
And into all this uncertainty, the Vikings signed Murray at a bargain basement price — this year. But if he plays, and is the starter, and excels, then he’ll expect one of those exorbitant and bank-busting quarterback deals that the Vikings might be tempted to pursue even though it would weaken the rest of the roster. So let’s just put 2027 on the back burner, or would it be more appropriate to say, “We’ll burn that bridge before we cross it”?
For 2026, would the upside of signing Hopkins be worth it? And could we afford it? And would both he and Murray end up being one-year rentals? And don’t shortchange the unknowns either, because the Vikings are gambling that the Kyler who suits up on game days will mirror his best seasons.
And if all parties saw enough upside to work out a deal to bring DeAndre Hopkins into the fold, and if the version of him that showed up on field matches his best years, well, just imagine the possibilities. Justin Jefferson + Addison + Hopkins on the edges, Aaron Jones, Sr. + Jordan Mason + T.J. Hockenson rumbling out of the backfield, and under center, a bona fide dual-threat to keep defenses honest.
Surprisingly I can almost taste the sugar high just suggesting this scenario. And I suspect reality would have a bittersweet aftertaste to it. But with the draft still a month away, and six months before kickoff, we long-suffering Vikings fans can safely indulge our fantasies and delusions at least until Memorial Day barbecues of brats, beans & tater salad (I miss Midwestern BBQs; down here, everything’s vinegar based).
— David A. (from the North Shore but stuck in the South)
Maybe you and I can work out a BBQ sauce trade? Having lived in Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee again before Minnesota, my BBQ preferences lean toward the Southern flavor, especially for the Middle Tennessee vinegar-based dabbed on some slow-roasted pork shoulder. It’s a staple during every return trip I make.
Hopkins was tracked by video paparazzi recently and asked about reuniting with Murray, whom he teamed with for three campaigns (2020-22) in Arizona after seven starbright seasons with Houston. Hopkins and Murray made the Pro Bowl together in 2020 when Hopkins reeled in 115 catches for 1,407 yards and six scores, and they have maintained a good relationship. Hopkins said he is open to the idea of the Vikings if Minnesota has interest.
Hopkins has 1,006 career receptions for 13,295 yards and 85 receiving touchdowns, but he is turning 34 in June.
Jalen Nailor’s departure in free agency has created intrigue for what Minnesota might do behind Jefferson and Addison. Tai Felton, a 2025 rookie who got his feet wet on special teams, could provide an option, especially as it pertains to game days when extra help on special teams is welcome further down the receiving depth chart.
The Vikings committed to boosting competition and depth in the quarterbacks room with the economical signing of Murray and re-signing of Carson Wentz to join J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer. I’m sure there is going to be immense interest in Minnesota’s QBs all offseason for a few reasons.