Grade the trade: Chiefs address WR room woes with savvy DeAndre Hopkins trade

After days and weeks of speculation, the Kansas City Chiefs have indeed made a move to upgrade their wide receiver spot. DeAndre Hopkins will be joining Kansas City via a trade that surfaced Wednesday morning. By making this move with the Tennessee Titans, the Chiefs finally have a more steady and experienced presence for Patrick Mahomes to distribute the ball to.

Mainly due to injuries, Mahomes' most trusted options at wide receiver have been taken out of the lineup. At the start of this week, the healthy wide receivers on the roster were Xavier Worthy, Mecole Hardman, Justin Watson, and Skyy Moore. Adding DeAndre Hopkins not only gives Kansas City a major facelift. In fact, the Chiefs are getting someone who is a proven commodity.

What grade do the Chiefs receive by making this deal? Plus, what are the main elements that DeAndre Hopkins can add to the offense, overall?

Breaking down the DeAndre Hopkins trade

Full terms and conditions of the deal are being sorted out as of this writing. However, the early reporting from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport is that the Chiefs are sending the Titans a conditional fifth-round pick in 2025. That draft choice could eventually become a fourth-round pick, based on terms being met that are TBA.

This is the second time in the last calendar year that Kansas City and Tennessee have agreed to a trade. Of course, the Titans acquired cornerback L'Jarius Sneed this past offseason from the Chiefs and signed him to a contract extension. This time around, it is KC who lands the veteran player while giving away some draft compensation.

What DeAndre Hopkins Adds To Chiefs Offense

When it comes to DeAndre Hopkins himself, there are still many ways in which he can win. His size is still an element that allows him to win downfield or even in tight windows. Being able to add that for Mahomes is a major boost when a lack of full trust exists surrounding Chiefs wide receivers who are currently healthy. On the other hand, Hopkins still has the ability to increase separation at the top of his routes. He continues to offer some deception and wiggle at the end of the route stem. As a result, Hopkins will have the capability of increasing Mahomes' throwing window against man coverage.

Beyond the physical traits, Hopkins is going to offer plenty of instincts and intelligence as a veteran addition. Much has been made about Mahomes settling for underneath throws over the last couple of years. But with him taking what the defense is giving, Kansas City is still difficult to beat. Hopkins has shown a tremendous knack for finding the soft spots in zones and being able to sit down when areas start to open up. That part of his game has truly stood out as his career has grown further. We have seen Mahomes recognize those opportunities quickly with various pass catchers. Having someone who can do that will be key for the Chiefs offense moving forward.

DeAndre Hopkins trade grade

The aforementioned proven commodity element is what makes this trade grade out well for the Chiefs. If Kansas City had gone with a somewhat cheaper option or even a less-heralded name, you may be left wondering what their full potential in the offense is. By getting DeAndre Hopkins, the Chiefs will get a wide receiver who can be depended on in multiple situations. You could not necessarily say that about the wide receiver trades that KC made the prior two seasons. His addition can also allow for the less-experienced pieces to continue developing at their own pace.

The age factor and recent lower-body injuries are the only items that give you pause. Perhaps, that keeps this from being a complete slam dunk. Kansas City understands the consistency that Hopkins has delivered when healthy, however. And in the first eight years of his career, he only missed two games. Now with a chance to win his first Super Bowl, some rejuvenation is likely to be found when Hopkins officially enters the Chiefs' offense. That added ambition can only help as Kansas City is laser-focused on a possible three-peat. Given the numerous ways in which he can win as a pass catcher, his size, and the production still being adequate as he has gotten older, the Chiefs deserve a pretty good grade for this move.

Final Grade: A-