Looking back on his 2022-2023 season, Hopkins played in only 9 games due to a PED suspension. When he returned the Cardinals were hovering around .500 and hoped he would provide a spark. That didn’t happen as Arizona finished the year with a 4-13 record.

When looking at his stats you can understand why Hopkins was frustrated. He had zero big plays over 40+ yards and his longest reception of the year was 33 yards. Moreover, his Air Yards Per Reception was 8.6 which in large part was due to poor quarterback play. Hopkins will be looking to correct that on his next team as determines where to go next. With that let’s take a look at the top landing spots for DeAndre Hopkins.

Las Vegas Raiders

Although the Raiders already have a star wide receiver in Davante Adams, pairing him with Hopkins could be a lethal combo. The Raiders brought in Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason and brought back stud running back Josh Jacobs. Adding Hopkins to this group could push the Raiders to the top of the AFC. Questions still remain on defense as Las Vegas finished towards the bottom of the league last year in total team defense.

Baltimore Ravens

Lamar Jackson was the hottest topic in the NFL this offseason. The Ravens and Jackson finally came to terms on a long-term deal, locking up their franchise quarterback. They also made a splash at the wide receiver position by bringing in Odell Beckham Jr. for a hefty price. They should still bring in another receiver as OBJ will be rusty and is coming back after a significant ACL injury.

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills championship window is now and they need to push all their chips to the center of the table. This is why I believe Deandre Hopkins will eventually end up in Buffalo. Adding him to the mix and pairing him with Stefon Diggs could be exactly what gets Buffalo its first Super Bowl title. If I am Brandon Beane, I am doing everything in my power to make this happen. If you want to win championships you have to take risks (see the 2022 LA Rams) and grabbing Hopkins is a risk worth taking.

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Quarterbacks

Brock Purdy QB – San Francisco 49ers

There is a new starter for the 49ers as Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a broken foot ending his season. In steps the 2022 Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy. The former Iowa State product stepped in admirably for Garoppolo on Sunday going 25-37 for 210 yards and 2 touchdowns. He almost certainly will be the starter going forward even if the 49ers sign a couple of quarterbacks from the wire. Purdy offers a little more mobility than Garoppolo and with the amount of weapons available on this offense he should put up respectable numbers.

Tyler Huntley QB – Baltimore Ravens

Another unfortunate injury propelled Tyler Huntley into action on Sunday. Lamar Jackson went down with an apparent knee injury versus the Denver Broncos. Huntley has a similar skill set to Jackson and scored a crucial rushing touchdown that helped propel the Ravens to victory. He is worth picking up as we don’t yet know how serious Jackson’s injury is.

Running Backs

James Cook RB – Buffalo Bills

The Bills are finally letting Cook cook as he was fed Thursday night against the New England Patriots. He racked up over 100 scrimmage yards and out touched lead back Devin Singletary. The rookie has taken some time to settle in but you can see his explosiveness and speed, especially in the passing game. The momentum is real and we can see him eventually becoming RB1 for the Bills down the stretch.

Wide Receivers

Jahan Dotson WR – Washington Commanders

Dotson started the year as one of the hottest rookie wide receivers scoring 4 touchdowns in his first four games as a pro. He went down with a hamstring injury in Week 4 against Dallas that sidelined him for over a month. Fast forward to Sunday when Dotson flashed his pre-injury explosiveness when he dropped a spin move on his way for game tying touchdown. The Commanders wanted to get him more involved in the passing game and QB Taylor Heinicke is starting to gain more chemistry with the talented rookie. Look for that to continue in the coming weeks. Dotson and the Commanders are on a BYE this week but now is the time to stash him for the playoff run.

Odell Beckham Jr. WR – Free Agent

It’s time. The superstar wide receiver is close to signing on with a playoff contender. He recently visited with the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys as the push to sign the talented Beckham Jr. continues. We all know the upside and if he does end up signing with the Cowboys its hard to ignore the potential. Now is the time to pick up Beckham Jr. as it’s only a matter of time before he signs.

Tight Ends

Noah Fant TE – Seattle Seahawks

Ideally you are set at this spot and have one of the top 10 tight ends already on your roster. We all know outside of the top 10 its a crap shoot at this position but that’s where we are. With six teams on BYE there is a good chance you need to pick one up for your critical matchup this week. Fant got back into the endzone this week and hauled in 4 catches on 5 targets for 42 yards. If you are desperate at the TE position for this week look Fant’s way.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Miami Dolphins have stayed aggressive in each phase of the 2022 off-season and It wouldn’t be a surprise if they struck gold with another shiny free-agent acquisition soon. With that said, I’m going to untwine three dream FA targets for the Phins right now.

Anthony Barr

I expect that Anthony Barr wants revenge against Josh Allen after the Bills QB famously hurdled him a few seasons ago. Barr is a very diverse LB and he can be effective against the run and pass. He recorded three interceptions, 2.5 sacks, 72 combined tackles, and 6 QB hits in 11 games last season. Barr could honestly be a star on the inside and move around the edge on third-down. The former 30-year-old Vikings LB could even be a quality chess piece on the Phins LB group that features Emmanual Ogbah and Jerome Baker for a few seasons.

Odell Beckham Jr.

If the LA Rams have room for OBJ, the Dolphins should deserve to incorporate his gifted ability. The Dolphins have also been a popular landing spot for him as of late. Tom Pelissero from NFL Network suggested that the Phins should ink the Super Bowl LVI champion in early May. The Dolphins have loaded up on offensive firepower (Chase Edmonds, Tyreek Hill) this off-season, so it would be fitting for Mike McDaniel to add another superb force in OBJ.

Ndamukong Suh

The NFL’s bad-ass (and intellectual) Ndamukong Suh would be a sneaky good fit for the Dolphins. Suh can excel in many spots, which is perfect for the Dolphins creative defense. He has been still playing at a high level (6 sacks and 13 QB hits) and he surely wants another Super Bowl ring. Suh doesn’t appear to be interested in a reunion with Tampa Bay. I expect an aggressive, shiny team like MIA or LAR to scoop him up.

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By: Jake Rajala

It really isn’t clear where Odell Beckham Jr. will sign at this point in the offseason. Although, it appears he will sign with a talented passing offense. The Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns, and New Orleans Saints seem to be logical landing spots for OBJ.

There is also the unsettling outlook with OBJ’s ACL injury. He is expected to likely return in early November next season. So, there are a couple of mysterious factors with OBJ. It isn’t clear where he will play in 2022 and when he will play next season.

Well, I expect OBJ to be at least efficient for his new QB moving forward. Here is a closer look at how productive Beckham was with LA in his last four playoff games as a Ram:

• 288 yards = 1,224 yards in a 17 game slate
• 2 touchdowns
• 26 targets
• missed two quarters in the Super Bowl

Beckham Jr. was just getting on fire with Stafford in the playoffs. Well, can OBJ continue his recent dominance with LA or another team next season? I don’t love OBJ’s ceiling with A-Rob and Kupp in LA. If he is in NO or CLE, I would also expect him to be an 800 yard WR (a bit more production than his 537 total yards with CLE/LA in 2021). I really believe he could put up his biggest numbers and targets with the Indianapolis Colts or New England Patriots.

Beckham Jr. is currently ranked as the 47th dynasty WR (PPR) via Fantasy Pros. He will likely be a modest WR in his short-lived 2022 season and beyond with LA or NO. If he does ink a contract with a team like Indy or NE, he could surprise and really be targeted for 4-5 more seasons (similar to Cooks in the Houston offense).

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By: Jake Rajala

The Los Angeles Rams have honestly had a terrific offseason thus far. Sean McVay upgraded at the wide receiver position with the signing of Allen Robinson. A-Rob is clearly an upgrade over Odell Beckham Jr. at this point in time (regardless of OBJ’s injury). The Rams also kept Sean McVay and most likely Aaron Donald out of retirement.

I still expect the Rams to be aggressive and creative to acquire talent this offseason. There are a few profiles that I believe McVay is currently drooling over this offseason. With that said, here are a few free-agent draft prospects that should impress Les Snead and McVay in the near future:

Bobby Wagner

McVay has been firm in his interest to ink the future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner. Per Rams Wire, McVay is definitely interested in bringing in Wagner. If the Rams signed the former Seahawks LB, it would honestly be the most impressive free-agent signing by any NFL team this offseason. It would be hard to imagine that the utterly explosive Rams offense wouldn’t be joined by a Top 5 defense with Wagner, Aaron Donald, Leonard Floyd, and Jalen Ramsey.

James Cook

James Cook, the brother to Dalvin Cook, would be a fine replacement for Sony Michel. Cook impressively ran a 4.42 40 yard dash and his agility is as equally impressive. PFF nicely compares Cook to DeVonta Freeman. The Saints traded up to snag Alvin Kamara in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. I wouldn’t be shocked if McVay grabbed a shiny playmaker in Cook in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Odell Beckham Jr.

I suspect that Odell Beckham Jr. is hoping for a team to overpay for his services, but It would be very logical if he returned to the Rams on a short-term contract. OBJ could be involved in the Robert Wood-less offense and have a strong chance of winning another Lombardi. I’d also expect OBJ to want to play for a playoff contender on a one or two-year deal because he will already miss a huge chunk of the 2022 season. There isn’t any reason why OBJ can’t have a ton of success with the Rams in 2022 and then sign a massive four-year deal after the 2022 season.

Jadeveon Clowney

It appears that Jadeveon Clowney is looking to finally cash in after staying healthy and having a 9 sack season. I expect him to sign with a squad that offers him the most money. Clowney may not be head over heels to sign with a squad like the New York Jets, but he can help any team grow for the next five years. If the Rams sign a player like Wagner or OBJ, he may be more tempted to take less money to ink a deal with the Rams (If the Rams make their cap work for numerous FA signings). With that enunciated, I expect the Rams are more interested in signing Wagner and OBJ than Clowney (and his infamous Outback Bowl hit).

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By: Jake Rajala

The Cleveland Browns recently made the blockbuster trade to acquire the elite, controversial quarterback Deshaun Watson. The Browns will surely not take their foot off the pedal, as they aim to win a Super Bowl with Watson, Myles Garrett, and Nick Chubb (in his prime).

The Browns will also be an attractive destination for free agents as they showcase the gifted Watson at QB. With that said, here are a few free agents that Andrew Berry could soon lure to Cleveland.

• Odell Beckham Jr. (jealous ex)

The polarizing OBJ is reportedly interested in joining the Browns, according to Bleacher Report. Beckham Jr. would look to exploit defenses with the crisp wideout in Amari Cooper. If the Browns showcased Chubb, Cooper, Hunt, and OBJ, the Browns would look a lot like the 2021 LA Rams.

It would be a risk for the cap-strapped Browns to cough up money for the injured OBJ right now, but a potential mutual agreement on a cheaper than expected agreement from OBJ might make the Browns feel more comfortable with his injury.

• Sammy Watkins

There has been speculation that the Browns could target a deep-threat for Watson. I’d love to see the Browns ink the speed-demon Sammy Watkins on a “prove-it deal” rather than sign Will Fuller for a more expensive contract. Watson could help Watkins potentially bounce back and unveil a career season in 2022. He would absolutely be an interesting WR3 with Cooper and OBJ, as he would offer a unique skill set.

The Chiefs gave the former Browns WR Josh Gordan a shot and now it might be time for the Browns to give the former Chiefs WR the golden ticket.

• Carlos Dunlap

It may be poetic to see Jadeveon Clowney return to the Browns, but I don’t expect them to be able to afford Clowney at this point. Clowney, who was in Cleveland shorter than OBJ, will likely get an astronomical contract elsewhere in my opinion.

I believe it would be smart to add a veteran edge rusher cheaper than Clowney and then draft a pass rusher early in the 2022 or 2023 NFL draft. Dunlap might be 33 years old, but he had 8.5 sacks last season. Dunlap may be more productive and even more reliable than Clowney, as he’s only missed three games since 2013.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Los Angeles Rams have really made bright free agent moves after winning Super Bowl LVI. Sean McVay has brought in the superb Allen Robinson and he managed to retain his starting center, Brian Allen.

On March 22nd, it appears that McVay still has a few tricks up his sleeve and he’s going to keep the gas on the pedal with Aaron Donald still playing on an unearthly level. With that said, who could the Rams look to add to their dream team roster? Well, here are a few faces that would make a ton of sense for LA.

• Odell Beckham Jr.

I honestly foresee the Rams keeping OBJ for at least another season. He was clearly playing well in their system and he will have another excellent opportunity to win back-to-back Super Bowl rings. According to NBC Sports, Les Snead absolutely wants Odell Beckham Jr. back in a Rams uniform.

I had an itch that OBJ would return to the Big Easy, but I expect him to be more appealed to playing with Matthew Stafford than Deshaun Watson Jameis Winston in 2022.

• Jadeveon Clowney

I wouldn’t be surprised if Clowney took slightly less money to have a strong chance of unveiling a career season next to Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd in 2022. The Rams have been fortunate to sign DL studs like Clay Matthews, Ndamukong Suh, and Von Miller. It would make a ton of sense if the Rams were very aggressive to bring in another elite DL in their prime Super Bowl window. If they can’t swing big on OBJ, I really expect the Rams to target Clowney to replace Von Miller.

• Trey Flowers

The Rams have been in hot pursuit of big-name pass rushers over the McVay era, but they have also acquired underperforming edge players with a lot of talent like Dante Fowler Jr. If the reigning Super Bowl champions can’t lure in Clowney, they should fall back on Trey Flowers. From 2016 to 2019, Flowers had 6.5+ sacks in each regular season. Flowers only played in 7 sacks in each of the past two seasons, but he is healthy and looking to return to a fierce pass rusher in the right situation.

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By: Michael Welsh

After some downtime, it has been a crazy week in the NFL. We saw Russell Wilson and Carson Wentz traded, Deshaun Watson rumors picked up, and on March 12th, The Browns traded for Dallas Cowboys wideout Amari Cooper. They only gave up a 5th and 6th round pick for the star pass catcher and a 6th round pick. Overall, I believe it was a major steal for the Browns.

Cleveland now has their WR #1 in Cooper as they look to revamp the offense from a weapons standpoint. This may lead to the end of the Jarvis Landry era in Cleveland, but at the end of the day, the NFL is a business. The addition of Cooper takes the offense to another level if he can remain healthy, and one can assume that Andrew Berry isn’t done with his aggressive moves. What does Cooper bring to the table?

For starters, Amari Cooper might be the best route runner in the league. This will bring a lot of structure to the Browns offense from a receiver standpoint. Odell Beckham Jr. did not work out in Cleveland for several reasons, but he was known as a freelancer on his routes, often looking for soft spots in the defense instead of running the route in the playbook. This caused countless miscommunications between him and quarterback Baker Mayfield. Cooper will be the exact opposite of that as he has a reputation for learning a playbook and sticking to it. This will help him get on the same page with Baker Mayfield, assuming he is the QB for Cleveland in 2022.

Cooper is only 27 years old as well, which means if he balls out for the Browns then he may land a long-term deal with them or another team in free agency. The trade is a win-win for both sides, which doesn’t always happen. Everywhere that Cooper has gone, he has produced good numbers, so there is a high probability that he produces well in Cleveland.

From a stats perspective, Amari Cooper has put up respectable numbers his entire career. In total, he has 517 receptions for 7,076 yards and 46 touchdowns, along with 3 Pro Bowl selections. He is going to bring elite playmaking skills to the Browns and help them take the top off of the defense. Last year he had more touchdown catches than the Browns wide receivers combined. That should give you an idea of how badly the team needs a player like him.

There is no telling what moves could happen for the Browns from here on out, but there is no doubt that trading for Amari Cooper is a big step in the right direction. Andrew Berry has been incredibly impressive as the Browns General Manager, relentlessly attacking the team’s weaknesses each off-season. Get your popcorn ready because he isn’t done yet.

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The Los Angeles Rams were Super Bowl LVI champions, but it wasn’t an easy victory and journey for Sean McVay’s dream team. The Rams weren’t the first seed in the NFC and they were even swept by their divisional foe (San Francisco 49ers) in the 2021 regular season.

Matthew Stafford and his squad had to claw their way to the Super Bowl and edge out the explosive Cincinnati Bengals on the grand stage. As the Super Bowl celebration has eclipsed and the 2022 offseason is in motion, the focus will switch to retaining the elite roster and making another push for a Super Bowl berth in 2022. The question is: what should scare the Rams and keep McVay up at night the most next season? Well, I’m going to untwine the biggest challenges for the LA Rams in 2022.

• Kyle Shanahan

The secret is out: The 49ers have edged out the Rams in 6 of the last 7 matchups. The Rams won the pivotal matchup against SF in the NFC Championship, but Kyle Shanahan will surely upgrade his squad at key positions in 2022. I expect the 49ers to improve the CB spot, which felt like dropping interceptions in the championship game. They could bring in Stephon Gilmore, as the former 49er stud Richard Sherman pointed out.

Shanny’s team will theoretically have an upgrade at the QB position, as the very athletic Trey Lance will replace Jimmy Garopplo. A lot of fans might speculate how Jimmy G was just a step above the 2015 Peyton Manning, who won a Super Bowl off the back of his defense.

• Odell Beckham Jr.

The Rams will have Robert Woods healthy, but they might not have their playoff weapon Odell Beckham Jr. to kick things off in 2022. OBJ could be on a different roster, but McVay does OBJ back in 2022. If the former NYG WR returns to the dreamy city, he will miss the first 5-7 games likely.

The Rams play in a brutal conference and they will need all the firepower they can get. Matthew Stafford will have the 2021 Offensive Player of The Year in Cooper Kupp, but he most likely won’t have two Pro Bowl WRs at his disposal early in the 2022 season.

• LT position

The LA Rams “currently” feature an all-star LT that is somewhat in the shadow of Donald, McVay, OBJ, Stafford, Kupp, and Miller. Their reliable LT that won Walter Payton Man of The Year, Andrew Whitworth, is 40 years old and pondering retirement.

If the Rams lose Whitworth, they will need to find a quality LT to protect Stafford’s blindside. It’s vital that the Rams find a way to fill in the shoes of Whitworth if hangs up his cleats. Nick Bosa had a whopping 0.5 sacks in two games against the Rams in the 2021 regular season. Bosa, J.J. Watt, and Carlos Dunlap will be licking their chops if the Rams don’t adequately replace the large, generous OT that looks like Thanos in 2022.

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The New England Patriots were led by the brave rookie Mac Jones in 2021. Jones didn’t go gentle into the good night, as he unleashed 3,801 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, and 13 interceptions last season. His performance helped him bake the Pro Bowl and Bill Belichick become more relaxed towards him. Well, at least one of the points mentioned above is true.

Jones was a pleasant QB last season, but he has a lot of work to do if he wants to become the next special QB in New England. The Pats will surely look at the wide receiver free agents in 2022 to lure in a shiny weapon for the young Mac Jones. Here are a few faces that would make a ton of sense.

Odell Beckham Jr.

The Patriots were very close to inking the former NYG WR Odell Beckham Jr. in 2021. I expect OBJ to be more interested in joining the Pats for two reasons. He witnessed the growth of Mac Jones throughout the 2021 season and I also imagine his chances of returning to the Rams took a major hit after his injury.

The cap-strapped Rams will likely bring back Von Miller and spend their resources on profiles outside of Beckham Jr. Belichick is also no stranger to signing big-name and slightly dramatic wideouts (Randy Moss, Antonio Brown, Josh Gordan).

T.Y. Hilton

The New England Patriots should revamp their WR position with a couple of new faces. It’s worth noting that the Pats could cut ties with Nelson Agholor outside of letting Meyers leave, as well. With that said, I’d love to see Bill Belichick ink the speed-demon T.Y. Hilton. Jones could really benefit from the skillset that Hilton offers.

The long-time Colt ousted 10 touchdowns from 2020 and 2021 combined. If the Pats lose Jakobi Meyers, it would especially be nice for them to target Hilton.

Keelan Cole

Belichick should seek a diamond in the rough when free agency kicks off and he could find an underdog in Keelan Cole. The undrafted free agent had 642 yards and five touchdowns in 2020 with Gardner Minshew.

He only recorded 449 yards and one touchdown with the Jets last season, but those numbers might seem surprising given his place on the depth chart and the ability of the Jets young, starting QB.

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