DeAndre Hopkins' Tweet Ignites Speculation About Bears' Free Agency Moves

There's no question that the Bears could use a player of Hopkins' caliber in their receiving squad. In fact, any NFL team would be lucky to have him. Therefore, it's probable that Bears' GM Ryan Poles has reached out to Hopkins' representatives to discuss the possibility of him joining the Chicago team. However, the odds of Hopkins signing with the Bears aren't necessarily high.

Upon his official release from the Cardinals, Hopkins spoke candidly on the «I Am Athlete'' podcast about his preferences for his next team. He wants a passionate quarterback who lifts the whole team, a formidable defense, and a steady management team. At first glance, the Bears seem to tick two of these boxes, with Justin Fields as quarterback, and Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus firmly steering the team's future. However, it's too early to label the Bears' defense as top-tier, despite recent additions like Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards.

Moreover, it's unclear whether Fields, in his current stage of development as a passer, would appeal to Hopkins. In the same podcast, Hopkins mentioned his top five quarterbacks he'd love to play with, and Fields was not among them. The list was graced by the likes of Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Justin Herbert.

One thing the Bears can offer more readily than other teams is a generous paycheck. As per OverTheCap, the Bears lead the NFL with a cap space of $32 million, which would allow them to propose a handsome one-year deal to Hopkins, no strings attached. This could set up Hopkins for another substantial payday next year if he delivers an outstanding performance in Chicago.

However, the Bears fall short in offering a viable path to a Super Bowl victory this year. Hopkins, although still in his prime at 30, is entering the latter part of his career. If his goal is to optimize his chances of winning a championship, aligning with teams like the Chiefs, Bills, or Eagles would be more strategic. Moreover, should Hopkins decide on a one-year deal this season, pairing up with a top-tier, proven passer like Mahomes, Allen, or Hurts would be in his best interest. While Fields offers an exhilarating potential as a dynamic playmaker and is known for his impressive long throws (which could be advantageous for Hopkins), he lacks the track record of the aforementioned, more seasoned quarterbacks.

Considering the full spectrum of prospective teams for Hopkins and his expressed desires on the open market, it seems improbable that we'll see him wearing a Bears jersey at Halas Hall this year.