The latest rumor is Hopkins could be available, so how could the Texans move on from the star

Would the Texans trade DeAndre Hopkins?

DeAndre Hopkins and the Texans were oh, so close. Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Peter King brought up the rumor. Let's dive into the potential for a Hopkins move.

The rumor

The full rumor from Peter King in his Football Morning in America column on Monday.

"It might be just pre-draft chatter, but two teams over the weekend told me to watch Houston and DeAndre Hopkins, who has three years and a reasonable $40 million left on his contract, and who'd cause only a $3-million cap hit to the Texans if they traded him. Houston is currently in draft hell, without a top-50 pick in 2020 and 2021, and coach Bill O'Brien has huge needs to fill on his offensive line, in the secondary and overall youth on the front seven; J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus will play this year at 31 and 30."

I have also heard Hopkins and O'Brien haven't always heard the coziest relationship.

There is no way the Texans offensive line could be considered as having "huge needs" to fill. The Texans will have every spot with the exception of right guard locked up and likely unchallenged for multiple years when Laremy Tunsil gets his contract extension.

Yes, there is concern about pass rushing age. That's what free agency is for and that isn't a need for 2020 or perhaps even 2021.

The money

Hopkins is wildly underpaid. WILDLY. He is the best wideout in football, and if not the best easily top three.

Whatever team gets him would have him on an amazing deal. It would cost just $3 million for the Texans to trade Hopkins and would lead to a savings of $11 million according to Spotrac.

The idea the Texans might be scared of Hopkins wanting a new contract doesn't make sense. Again, it doesn't make sense.

The new CBA has massive penalties for a player who is sitting out training camp. There is no leverage for Hopkins to try to get a new contract. None. So worries about a new deal would be silly. Unfortunate for Hopkins that the market outpaced him but the Texans have no reason to even entertain a new deal for Hopkins and again, Hopkins has no leverage.

What could the Texans get?

Odell Beckham went with a player for a first round pick and a third round pick. The Giants also got back two solid players in safety Jabrill Peppers and guard Kevin Zeitler.

If you drop the players and add draft compensation the Texans could certainly rebuild the lack of top draft picks. It is worth noting, most consider this the deepest and best wideout draft class in a while. Would two first round picks or a first and a couple of second round picks get it done?

Amari Cooper was traded for just a first round pick.

Is this enough? Certainly doesn't seem like it would be for a player who has been consistent his whole career and also isn't scheduled to be a free agent for three more years and even then will be 30 years old when his contract runs out.

So, will they do it?

God I hope not. Hopkins is the second-best player in the franchise's history and the best offensive player ever. Replacing him with a rookie or veteran, especially when the other wideouts on the roster are unreliable, would be taking a massive step back. It doesn't help the team win in 2020.

Bill O'Brien would be widely criticized for it and he wouldn't be able to show if he is successful right away while Hopkins would likely crush immediately for a new team. He also would have to answer for the move, he is of course the shot-caller now.

It doesn't make sense, but how many times have you seen the Texans operate in a similar manner under O'Brien? A few times. That's the scary part. It is extremely unlikely. Extremely. But not impossible.

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The Coogs play Miami on Friday night. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

Number one seed University of Houston is favored by 7.5 points over No. 5 Miami, and No. 2 University of Texas is favored by 4 over No. 3 Xavier Friday night in the Midwest Regional semifinals in Kansas City.

Talk about opening acts. If both UH and UT win, they’ll meet Sunday in a good ol’ WWE-style Texas death match for a berth in the Final Four at NRG Stadium in Houston. Thank you, Mr. Schedule Maker.

How much do you think Cougar fans would love for UH to get their hands on the Longhorns with so much at stake?

For one example, let’s go back to the future, Oct. 21, 2023, when Big 12 rivals UH and UT meet in football at TDECU Stadium on the Houston campus. The game already is a lock sellout with tickets in the upper deck commanding $141 per ticket on the secondary market. It will be UH’s first year in the big boy Big 12 and UT’s last go-around before heading to the SEC.

One last opportunity for lasting bragging rights.

That’s for a UH football game. At home. Where the Cougars typically have trouble packing half the house. For example, the Cougars will be hosting the Sam Houston Bearkats at TDECU Stadium a month earlier. Tickets for that game, the same exact seat going for $141 against UT, can be had right now … $17.

Yeah, there’s something special about UH getting the opportunity to face UT. In anything. Anywhere. And it’s been a long time since the two teams, once co-members of the Southwest Conference together, have met on the basketball court. A full decade, in fact. The last time they played was March 20, 2013 with the Cougars prevailing 73-72 in something called the College Basketball Invitational. The UH coach was James Dickey. UT was coached by Rick Barnes. Joe Young led the Cougars with 18 points. The Horns’ leading scorer was Julien Lewis with 28. UH finished that season with a 20-13 record. UT limped home at 16-18.

That was then, this is now. The UH-Miami game will air at 6:10 p.m. Friday on CBS with UH grad Jim Nantz calling the play-by-play. The game will alsO stream on Hulu +++. ESPN’s BPI (basketball power index) gives the Cougars a 90 percent chance of winning. We’ll take it.

The UT-Xavier game will follow at 8:45 p.m. on CBS. The Horns have a 70 percent chance of beating the Musketeers. If both chalks come through, they’ll meet Sunday afternoon with the game on CBS.

The Cougars have made six Final Four appearances: 1967, 1968, 1982, 1983, 1984, 2021. The Horns have made three Final Fours, the last time two decades ago.

Here’s the only sure bet if UH and UT meet Sunday - get to your sports bar early if you want a seat. This could be memorable.

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