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Chiefs, Ravens Potential Landing Spots?

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4 months ago

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DeAndre Hopkins has suddenly emerged as the hottest free agent name in the NFL before Memorial Day 2023, following his release from the Arizona Cardinals Friday. But now comes this red-hot question: Who’s in pursuit of the All-Pro wide receiver?

It turns out the Super Bowl Champions inquired about Hopkins before he was even released. But could another surprise team swoop in and land the veteran WR?

Latest on DeAndre Hopkins and the Chiefs

Revealed by NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated on Saturday morning, the Kansas City Chiefs were among the two teams that had “substantive” talks with the Cardinals about a potential trade for Hopkins. The other was the Buffalo Bills.

However, Hopkins’ contract prevented a blockbuster trade for the five-time Pro Bowler. Breer added that Odell Beckham Jr. signing his $15 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens “more or less blew [Kansas City’s] progress up.”

With Hopkins no longer considered a trade candidate as a newly released veteran, he’s realistically free to sign anywhere, including with the Chiefs. And already, one defender with ties to Hopkins is making a pitch.

Chiefs Defender Trying To Coax Hopkins to Kansas City

The Chiefs have someone moonlighting as a recruiting coordinator. And he happens to be a past teammate of Hopkins.

EDGE Charles Omenihu, who was one of the team’s defensive free agent signings via the San Francisco 49ers, took to social media to attempt his recruiting pitch to DHop.

“You free now come on to the kingdom @DeAndreHopkins,” Omenihu directed to the star wideout on Twitter.

Hopkins and the versatile defender Omenihu have past ties: Both were members of the Houston Texans, and their time in Houston overlapped for one season.

MORE: 2023 NFL Salary Cap Space by Team

Omenihu was a rookie in 2019 when Hopkins caught 104 receptions for 1,165 yards and scored seven touchdowns. Hopkins, though, was eventually traded to the Cardinals in exchange for running back David Johnson.

Omenihu would go on to play two more seasons with the Texans before being traded midseason to the 49ers. He went on to play in back-to-back NFC title games with San Francisco while becoming NFC West rivals with Hopkins and the Cardinals.

Is There Room for a Signing, or Is Hopkins Too Expensive for the Champs?

The Chiefs would have to do some serious contract restructuring to have room for Hopkins.

According to Over the Cap, Kansas City sits at $652,557 in cap space for 2023.

PFN’s Dalton Miller took a dive into what a Hopkins contract could look like for his next team. “One thing is certain… it won’t be cheap,” Miller wrote.

Again, Beckham’s deal helped throw a wrench into contract talks, as his deal impacts the 2023 market for veteran wideouts. Miller adds, “Hopkins has earned the right to earn more money than Beckham at this current point in each player’s career.”

As for K.C., the Chiefs still have a bevy of weapons to turn to, beginning with 110-catch Pro Bowler Travis Kelce and WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who hit his career-high mark for single-season receptions last season.

Kansas City also has second-year pro Skyy Moore — who’ll more than likely look to level up on the depth chart after his three starts last season.

Hopkins, no doubt, would make Kansas City a heavy favorite to repeat. But the Chiefs are still considered a threat for the title without DHop too.

Is Baltimore the Official Favorite to Land DeAndre Hopkins?

Various national betting sites have the Baltimore Ravens high on the list in landing DHop.

DraftKings is one, giving Baltimore +650 odds of luring in the five-time Pro Bowler. They’re behind the current favorite, the New York Jets, who were given +700 odds.

But there’s another reason behind the idea of a Hopkins/Ravens linking: his recent comments on I AM ATHLETE. On the show, Hopkins discussed the idea of him forming a new duo with the 2019 MVP, Lamar Jackson.

“I love Lamar Jackson,” Hopkins said to hosts Brandon Marshall and Ashley Nicole Moss. “Lamar Jackson is one of my favorite athletes since I’ve been watching sports. I’ve been a fan of Lamar for a long time. I’d be lying to say if I didn’t say…it would be an honor to play with a great guy and great quarterback like Lamar.”

Those comments were made before the Cards officially parted ways with the All-Pro wideout. Now, Hopkins is free to sign elsewhere as a released free agent — and that includes Baltimore.

How Hopkins Changes Complexion of Ravens Offense

Jackson having Hopkins and Beckham on the same roster is something NFL fans would have previously likely only seen in the Pro Bowl. Now, the stakes of landing Hopkins just increased for Baltimore.

Already, the Ravens made their first aggressive move in coaxing Jackson to stay by signing Beckham to his $15 million deal. But Baltimore has other speed elements in place with veteran Nelson Agholor and first-round draft selection Zay Flowers out of Boston College.

This is still a Ravens offense that doesn’t know who officially becomes the WR1. While Beckham has his history of being a past No. 1, he accepted a WR2 role with the Los Angeles Rams opposite of Cooper Kupp during his last NFL stop in 2021. Plus, he’s coming back from a devastating ACL tear suffered in Super Bowl 56, which prevented him from playing in 2022.

Agholor, meanwhile, has never been a lead target. Flowers, as a rookie, is currently being presented with a strong chance of establishing himself as Jackson’s top go-to wideout as OBJ continues his recovery.

Hopkins, however, can become the top aerial focal point of the offense if brought over.

The 6’1″, 202-pound Hopkins would give Baltimore someone who can haul down the contested grabs, and he’s dangerous after the catch while eluding defenders in the open field. While he’s attacked defenses deep, he’s proven to be a short-to-intermediate route attacker over the years, especially when there’s an opening created by other wide receivers drawing coverage matchups.

All that speed on the field can mean less bracket or double coverage for Hopkins, especially on plays where he’s lined up next to OBJ.

Dilemma With Baltimore Adding Hopkins Involves OBJ

Count Beckham as the reason why a Hopkins-to-Ravens deal comes with a dilemma.

Per Sports Illustrated NFL insider Albert Breer, Beckham’s deal impacted a potential trade involving DHop for both the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills. Hopkins’ hefty contract, plus what OBJ was handed by the Ravens, were the reasons why the two teams shied away.

With Hopkins being projected in the $15 million range, similar to OBJ, a deal would put the Ravens in the red for their salary cap. Following Jackson’s blockbuster $260 million deal and the Beckham addition, Baltimore now sits at $11,757,827 in 2023 salary cap space, per Over the Cap.

Hopkins and the Ravens would have to find a way to work with a lesser, more manageable deal. But, with two AFC contenders, the Chiefs and Bills, having their trade idea blow up, the Ravens can make the attempt to swoop in on Hopkins and increase a new kind of odds — their Vince Lombardi Trophy-winning odds.





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Is Jimmy Garoppolo in a Relationship? Exploring the Raiders QB’s Dating History

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25 mins ago

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September 24, 2023

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Jimmy Garoppolo is known for being a serviceable QB at the NFL level, getting the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl before falling short to the Kansas City Chiefs, and his fascinating dating history. Jimmy G hasn’t always kept his private life a secret.

Many NFL broadcasters have spoken about how handsome Jimmy G is, so his dating track record is all the rave in social circles. The life of an NFL QB also draws a lot of attention, and Jimmy G’s life on and off the football field is no different.

Who Is Jimmy Garoppolo Dating Now?

The name most linked to Garoppolo these days is Giuliana Milan. Neither Garoppolo nor Milan have confirmed their relationship status, but the internet sleuths on social media believe they can confirm the connection.

Milan has attended NFL games in the past, wearing Garoppolo’s jersey. She has also been chummy with NFL players’ wives. Milan appears to be friends with George Kittle’s wife, Claire Kittle. As you recall, Garoppolo was the 49ers’ QB for several seasons, striking a rapport with the TE.

Traditionally, players’ wives and significant others develop relationships with the significant others of other players around the NFL. If Milan and Garoppolo are indeed an item, it would make sense that Milan is befriending the wives of players around the league.

Did Jimmy G Date a Porn Star?

There was a time when Garoppolo was the talk of the NFL. He had reached certain heights as an NFL starting QB, but his off-the-field exploits raised eyebrows around the league.

MORE: PFN Life — Off-the-Field Content

Garoppolo dated porn star Kiara Mia. Mia provided a few details about their brief relationship.

“Did I not say everything I touch turns to gold? He’s phenomenal. He’s talented. He’s a born star. I told you he’d kill it — I declared they were going to win the Super Bowl. Someone just messaged me a whole little stats thing on Jimmy Garoppolo, how he’s doing, and they were like, ‘he’s killing it this season.’ I was like, ‘I told you he would.’”

Garoppolo received more attention for this date with Mia than he anticipated. The media had plenty of questions for the signal-caller, which he took in stride. For his part, he learned how bright the NFL spotlight can be.

“Life is very different now. I’ve never really been big on being very public with things, even on social media. I’m not on there a ton. But my life’s looked at differently. I’m under a microscope. It’s like [head coach Kyle] Shanahan said, it is a good learning experience. I just have to take it in stride. It is what it is.”



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What We Know About the Saints QB

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1 hour ago

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September 24, 2023

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr was sacked by Rashan Gary on a 3rd-and-9 and was in obvious pain on the ground. What do we know about Carr’s injury, and what does this mean for the Saints?

Derek Carr Injury Update

Gary wrapped up and slammed Carr onto the ground very hard on a third-down sack in the third quarter. He was able to eventually walk off the field, but the Saints’ training staff was looking at the quarterback’s right arm as he got up.

The training staff led Carr to the locker room following the injury. Former first-overall pick Jameis Winston takes over for Carr in the Saints offense. New Orleans added Winston back to the roster in 2023 on a one-year, $4 million deal with a lot of cap ramifications leading until 2027.

New Orleans favored Andy Dalton a season ago, but in 2021, Winston was 5-2 as the Saints starter, and he was playing some of the best football of his career.

Through two games with New Orleans, Carr is 2-0, completing 44 of 69 passing attempts for 533 yards, a TD, and two INTs.

Update 2:55 PM ET
According to New Orleans Football’s Nick Underhill, Carr is questionable to return with a shoulder injury. Stacy Dales reported that Carr was receiving an X-ray in the locker room. Underhill later tweeted that he expects Carr to miss some time, based on what he’s hearing about the injury.

Update 3:15 PM
Carr is ruled out for the rest of the Saints’ game against the Packers.

Update 4:01 PM
Ian Rapoport tweeted that Carr is being taken to a local hospital to run additional tests. They will be checking for internal injuries, among other injuries.

Update 6:24 PM
Carr appears to have avoided a long-term injury, per NFL Network. While Carr will likely miss time, he probably did suffer a season-ending injury.

Derek Carr Injury Fantasy Fallout

Prior to being shaken up in the third quarter, Carr went 13 of 18 for 103 yards and a score. There is a chance that Taysom Hill could see some more snaps from the QB position for the rest of the contest against the Green Bay Packers.

Carr’s trip to the locker room, combined with a 17-0 lead for the Saints at the time of his exit, doesn’t exactly bode well for the fantasy outlook for the rest of New Orleans’ pass catchers for the remainder of this contest.

Saints receivers — namely Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, and Rashid Shaheed — will take a slight move down the weekly rankings if Carr misses significant time with this shoulder injury.





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NFL Fans React to Blatant Pass Interference That Helped Colts Upset Ravens

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2 hours ago

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September 24, 2023

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After rallying to force overtime with a field goal late in regulation, the Indianapolis Colts defeated the Baltimore Ravens 22-19 on a game-winning field goal. How they got into position for the score, however, stirred some controversy.

Colts-Ravens Missed Pass Interference Penalty

After a pair of punts and a Colts turnover on downs, Baltimore got the ball back at its own 46 with a chance to drive down the field for a game-winning score.

MORE: NFL Standings

The Ravens faced 4th-and-3 from the Indianapolis 47, and Lamar Jackson looked to Zay Flowers for a pass near the line to gain, but Flowers was pulled down by E.J. Speed as he stretched out to try and make the catch.

If pass interference had been called, the Ravens (2-1) would have been awarded an automatic first down and had possession within kicker Justin Tucker’s range for a game-winning field goal attempt. Instead, the Colts (2-1) got possession and converted one first down before Matt Gay made a 53-yard field goal to win it.

Baltimore also had a chance to win in the final seconds of regulation, but Tucker missed short on a 61-yard field goal try.

Fans React To No-Call

Ravens fans and pundits alike took to Twitter to voice their frustrations about the lack of a penalty on the crucial play.





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