DeAndre Hopkins is heading into his 14th NFL season with a different kind of focus, and CBS Sports thinks that mindset could eventually land him in Buffalo.
The free agent wide receiver, now 34, is being projected as a fit for the Bills, an elite Super Bowl contender still searching for more help at the position. Hopkins has made it plain that the chase now is bigger than numbers or another payday. He wants a ring in 2026.
Speaking recently with SiriusXM, Hopkins laid out exactly where his head is at as he prepares for year 14.
"As I go into my 14th year, of course, I love playing the game, I still love football," Hopkins said. "I still got a lot of ball left, but it’s not a situation that I’m sitting here trying to force, or be the regular season superstar, because that’s for the young guys, that’s for the people that they want to develop, and get those contracts to look at the future."
He also described the way his role has evolved with age, and the language he used sounded like a veteran who knows how to make himself useful without needing the spotlight.
"So, I know in my position, I’m a utility guy. I’m a special situation kind of guy.
I can go out there and beat anybody one-on-one. As of lately, I’ve been a third-down guy.
I wasn’t used in the red zone last year, but third down, they can come to me, I don’t think that’ll change anytime soon."
Buffalo remains in the market for receiver help, and CBS Sports noted that the team has missed on some major names in recent years. The front office could be wary after the Amari Cooper deal two years ago, but Hopkins would still give Josh Allen a proven weapon.
CBS Sports also floated a few other possibilities. Cincinnati could make sense, with Hopkins potentially joining Ja’Marr Chase and fellow Clemson product Tee Higgins.
Denver was listed as another option, where he’d be alongside Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton. If those contenders pass, Hopkins may have to consider teams like the Dolphins or Raiders if he wants to stay on the field in 2026.
His 2024 season showed the shift clearly. Hopkins played all 17 games, but his usage dropped sharply: just three starts, 39 targets, 22 catches, 330 yards and two touchdowns, all career lows. Before that, his last major production came in 2023 with the Titans, when he went over 1,000 yards for the seventh time in his career.
Hopkins entered the league as a first-round pick by Houston in 2013 and has since worn the uniforms of the Cardinals, Titans, Chiefs and Ravens. Across 195 career games, the five-time Pro Bowler and three-time First-Team All-Pro has totaled 1,006 catches, 13,295 yards and 85 touchdowns.
If Buffalo ends up being the landing spot, Hopkins would also be stepping into a growing Clemson pipeline. The Bills drafted defensive end T.J. Parker in the second round in April and added Cade Denhoff as an undrafted free agent, giving the roster a stronger Tiger flavor heading toward 2026.
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