Deshaun's Browns 'Bold Trade' Idea for Hopkins? 2 Problems

We're about at the end of the vacuous "Bold Trade'' season, are we not? You know, that time when idea are tossed out into the atmosphere by the media while we otherwise twiddle our thumbs waiting for something "real football'' to write about?

Well, "real football'' is here, Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns in Sunday's Week 1 "Game of the Week.'' Also here: Browns wideouts Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy, a formidable pair of pass-catchers for QB Deshaun Watson.

But let's get greedy! Let's get more!

And along comes the semi-random idea of Cleveland trading for DeAndre Hopkins.

Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine has assembled his list of " Bold Trade Predictions Before the 2024 NFL Season Kicks Off ," and it features a Houston reunion for Hopkins and Watson.

"Some of the Browns newly found financial freedom could be used to make one last major addition to the roster during the season," Ballentine wrote. "DeAndre Hopkins is a logical hypothetical target. The 32-year-old showed he's still got it with a 1,000-yard season in 2023, but the Titans are in the middle of a rebuild and the veteran is on the final year of his contract."

Should Cleveland prioritize chasing another receiver? Well, they chased Brandon Aiyuk (though Amari might've been part of the bait there). Could the Browns used another 1,000-yard producer with skins on the wall? Why not?

Related: Cowboys at Browns: Can Anybody Block Micah & Myles?

And could the QB-wideout tandem make magic here? They sure did so during Watson's two full as Houston's starter in 2018 and 2019, when Hopkins was there earning All-Pro honors.

That leaves just two problems that so many of these "bold trades'' forget about. One, why, on the eve of Week 1, would the Titans give away a potential 1,000-yard receiver? And two, what's the trade offer? What are the Browns giving up here? B/R doesn't mention that ... making the acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins for "nothing'' rather 'bold'' indeed.