NFL Exec: DeAndre Hopkins' Trade to Chiefs 'Doesn't Move the Needle for Me'

The DeAndre Hopkins trade to the Kansas City Chiefs may not be as momentous to the NFL's executives as it is to fans.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that an NFC personnel executive doesn't view the Hopkins deal as a game-changer for the Chiefs, though the exec said that the team does have a winning formula.

"The Hopkins trade doesn't move the needle for me," the exec told Fowler. "But an offense going through 87 [Travis Kelce] and 1 [Xavier Worthy] and the run game and defense can continue winning. I know Patrick [Mahomes] hasn't played great, but he finds two or three plays a game to secure the win, and that's part of his greatness."

Hopkins had 15 catches for 173 yards and a touchdown for the Tennessee Titans before the Oct. 23 trade that saw Kansas City send a 2025 conditional fifth-round pick in return. In his first game with the Chiefs, Hopkins had two catches for 29 yards.

The five-time Pro Bowler should assume a significant role for a Chiefs team that is seeking a third consecutive Super Bowl title. The team has already lost Rashee Rice (knee) and Marquise Brown (shoulder) for the season.

However, Hopkins may not be the player he once was and his presence doesn't mean that the Chiefs should completely shift the focus of their passing attack. The team was already 6-0 before acquiring Hopkins and the gritty style Kansas City has embraced figures to stay around as long as it keeps working to the team's benefit.