Markets Mixed On Titans After Reported DeAndre Hopkins Deal
One wide receiver in a loaded AFC isn't going to make the difference
The Titans reportedly will sign an All-Pro wide receiver, but the betting markets weren't fazed by the move.
Tennesee beat out the New England Patriots to sign DeAndre Hopkins. The deal is two years worth $26 million which can increase to $32 million with incentives.
Titans fans were ecstatic about the signing, and Patriots fans bemoaned their team not going the extra mile for a potential upgrade.
The futures market didn't move all that much. Tennesee was 80-1 to win the Super Bowl at DraftKings and after the reported deal, its odds didn't move. It was the same at BetMGM, but the news moved the Titans' number on FanDuel from 75-1 to 60-1.
Tennesee's win total was set at 7.5 across major sportsbooks, and that number also didn't move. The Titans remained behind the Jacksonville Jaguars to win the AFC South.
The lack of movement can be viewed on two fronts. First, while Hopkins is good, the Titans still are an average team. The biggest question still is the quarterback position. Ryan Tannehill is the starter, but they have young players in Malik Willis and 2023 NFL Draft pick Will Levis, who they likely want to see if they are the future of the franchise.
Hopkins alone doesn't put Tennesee over the top of other contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs or Cincinnati Bengals. This goes into another factor in that there are very few wide receivers that would be viewed as game-changers. The biggest market movement will be quarterbacks, like Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets. It's very rare for a non-QB to have an effect on the market.
Mike Vrabel has a reputation for being a head coach that gets the most out of his roster -- his team nearly made the playoffs with Joshua Dobbs at quarterback -- so there's no telling how the Titans will perform in 2023. But one signing in July is too early to tell on a future outlook.
