https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/bills-mailbag-is-the-deandre-hopkins-dream-finally-dead/article_d7fe541e-ec35-11ed-a3d5-7b0fac14fa7d.html
Mike asks: Why do you think Brandon Beane won’t pull the trigger on DeAndre Hopkins? You have to believe the price has gone down. The salary cap issues he presents aren’t insignificant and may be unsurmountable, but given what he adds to the offense – a proven veteran who can get open with vice grip hands – it just seems like a no-brainer.
Bill Mahoney asks: With his suspension and past rifts with coaches, is there any real traction to the rumors between the Bills and DeAndre Hopkins? From a cultural standpoint, this isn’t the typical character the Bills tend to connect themselves to.
Jay: You nailed it, Mike. The financial hurdle, in my mind, is insurmountable. Hopkins simply costs too much money, and the Bills would have to perform some serious salary cap gymnastics to make his current deal work. That’s if Hopkins were to play on his current deal. Chances are, if he’s traded, he’s going to want a new contract. I don’t disagree with anything you said about what he would add to the Bills’ offense, but right now, the financials make such a deal supremely challenging. The other possibility is the two sides couldn’t agree on compensation, but I’m hesitant to believe that’s much of a roadblock.