NASHVILLE — Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill met free-agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins for the first time during the five-time Pro Bowl selection’s recent visit with the team as he seeks a new NFL home.
Tannehill, who turns 35 in July and is going into the final season of his contract, spent some time with Hopkins and the receiver’s girlfriend in what Tannehill called a nice meeting.
“I think he’d be a good fit here,” Tannehill said Wednesday. “But we’ll see what happens.”
Hopkins made Tennessee the first stop on his tour, coming into Nashville on Sunday and meeting with players and coaches Monday. A five-time All-Pro — three times as a first-team selection — who turned 31 earlier this month, Hopkins is a free agent for the first time.
On Thursday afternoon, Hopkins took to social media to post a photo that showed him in the New England Patriots’ locker room with linebacker Matthew Judon.
The Titans held their final on-field practice of the offseason Wednesday, with accomplished veterans including running back Derrick Henry and safety Kevin Byard among those not at the final voluntary session. Tennessee is keeping only rookies around for the next two weeks.
Hopkins can take his time as the NFL switches to vacation mode before training camps open next month. The Titans are set to report July 25.
“I don’t think there’s anything that’s going to happen here today, I would imagine,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said. “But there’s follow-up every time we come and have conversations, and we’ll see where it goes.”
Tannehill spent his first seven NFL seasons as a starter for the Miami Dolphins, then was traded to the Titans in March 2019. He spent the first third of that season backing up Marcus Mariota before taking over and helping Tennessee make a run to the AFC championship game.
Now he’s throwing to a young group of receivers who had a combined six touchdown catches last season. Treylon Burks, who also skipped Wednesday’s session, is currently the top receiver on the roster; he was a first-round draft pick just a year ago.
Hopkins, who ranks 36th in NFL history with 1,298 receiving yards and has played 145 games as a pro, would certainly change the makeup of that group, both in experience and accolades.
The Arizona Cardinals, unable to find a trading partner, released Hopkins on May 26 in a salary cap move three years after acquiring him in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans. The Cardinals had signed him to a $54.5 million contract extension through 2024, and he would have counted close to $31 million against the cap this season for Arizona, which took a dead cap hit of $22.6 million.
Titans receivers coach Rob Moore, who played the position in the NFL for 10 seasons, said a key for any free agent is understanding Tennessee’s culture first. He declined to speculate on what Hopkins could bring to the Titans, who ranked 30th in passing yards last season while averaging 171.4 per game.
“But we all know what a great player he’s been over his career,” Moore said, “and I think what he’s done kind of speaks for himself.”
AP photo by George Walker IV / Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill jogs during a June 8 practice in Nashville.Titans notes
The team recently hired Sarah Bailey as director of football research and development. She spent the past six years with the Los Angeles Rams — who won Super Bowl LVI to cap the 2021 season — starting as an analyst in 2017 before being promoted to manager of football analytics. Earlier this year, Vrabel hired Lori Locus for a defensive quality control position, making her the team’s first full-time female assistant. … Fourth-year cornerback Kristian Fulton took part in some of Wednesday’s session, marking the first time he has been seen practicing with the team this offseason. He said he wasn’t hurt and will be ready for training camp. … Rookie quarterback Will Levis, the 33rd selection overall in April’s draft, is the team’s lone unsigned pick from this year. He was intercepted three times, with a couple of the picks off batted balls, during a team drill late in Wednesday’s practice.