6 pros and cons of the Carolina Panthers signing free-agent DeAndre Hopkins

Pro No. 2

DeAndre Hopkins is still productive and can help Carolina Panthers

Despite missing six games due to a PED-related suspension to begin the season, DeAndre Hopkins was still productive for an otherwise anemic Arizona Cardinals team in 2022. In the four full games in which he shared the field with Kyler Murray, the player recorded 30 catches for 385 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Over the course of a 17-game season, those numbers would average out to 128 catches, 1,636 yards, and 13 touchdowns. Despite playing in only nine total games, Hopkins led Arizona in receiving yards, yards per catch, and yards per game. He ranked second on the team in touchdowns behind tight end Zach Ertz and finished just three catches shy of Marquise Brown for the team lead in receptions.

While Hopkins' best seasons may be behind him at this point, his style of play should not result in aging quite as poorly as some other receivers. While he has adequate speed, the pass-catcher more often wins with route running and elite ball skills, traits that should stand the test of time.

For a Carolina Panthers franchise that has not had a wide receiver catch over 100 passes in a season since Steve Smith in 2005 and has not had a wideout catch 10 touchdowns in a season since Ted Ginn Jr. in 2015, even an aging version of Hopkins would be a welcome addition.