Nearly two months after being released by the Arizona Cardinals in late May, three-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is now expected to join the Tennessee Titans.

After taking his time in free agency, Hopkins had reportedly narrowed his options down to the New England Patriots and Titans before opting to sign with Tennessee on Sunday.

The deal is expected to be a two-year contract worth up to $15 million in his first season.

Hopkins becomes the Titans' third key acquisition in free agency this offseason -- alongside tackle Andre Dillard and linebacker Arden Key. He will join a wide receiver group that was going to head into the campaign headlined by Treylon Burks and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.

What Does DeAndre Hopkins Bring to Tennessee?

Hopkins earned First-Team All-Pro honors three seasons in a row from 2017 to 2019 and made the Pro Bowl four seasons in a row from 2017 to 2020. During that stretch, he was one of the more dominant wide receivers in the NFL, earning a Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade above 87.1 in each season. Starting with his sophomore season in 2014, Hopkins recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in seven seasons in a row.

Over the past two seasons, injuries and a six-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs have forced Hopkins to miss 18 games. Last season, after returning from his suspension in Week 7, Hopkins caught 64 of 96 targets for 717 yards and 3 touchdowns over the Cardinals' next nine games before being inactive for Weeks 17 and 18. Hopkins' 72.9 PFF grade was the second-lowest of his career -- only his rookie season was worse -- and ranked 43rd among 227 eligible receivers.

Which version of Hopkins will show up on the Titans remains to be seen. At age 31, Hopkins is entering his 11th season, and his production has been trending in the wrong direction. That said, the Titans are extremely thin at the receiver position, and Hopkins -- even at his declining levels of production -- provides a massive upgrade for their offense.

Last season, the pass-catcher with the highest PFF receiving grade on the Titans was 2022 fourth-round draft pick tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo. The second-highest grade belonged to tight end Austin Hooper, who is now a member of the Las Vegas Raiders. Wide receiver Robert Woods, who led the Titans in targets (82) and receptions (53) last season, is now on the Houston Texans.

Hopes are high in Tennessee for both 2022 first-round draft pick Treylon Burks, who showed glimpses of potential last season while battling multiple injuries, and Okonkwo, who impressed in his rookie season. Outside of those two, the Titans' next two pass-catchers are Westbrook-Ikhine, who has never recorded more than 38 receptions in a season, and Kyle Philips, who totaled 8 receptions last season.

Hopkins represents a substantial upgrade over this group -- to say the least -- and should be an impactful player for Tennesse right away. His regular season receiving yards total is set at 850.5, according to the NFL receiving props at FanDuel Sportsbook. His odds to lead the NFL in receiving yards this season (+6000) are tied for 26th-best.

Tennessee Titans Betting Odds

Hopkins' decision to join Tennessee has had a noticeable -- and positive -- impact on the Titans' betting odds for the upcoming season.

Last Monday, Tennessee was +7500 to win it all, per the Super Bowl odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. Now, they're listed at +6000, tied for the 23rd-best odds. Their odds to win the AFC Championship improved from +5500 to +4500, but those odds still rank fourth-worst in the conference.

The Titans' odds to win the AFC South improved from +380 to +310, but they remain a distant second behind the Jacksonville Jaguars' odds (-155). Tennessee's win total remains unchanged at 7.5, but the odds on the over shifted from +104 to -102.

Overall, signing Hopkins provided a boost to the Titans' outlook for this season, but it did not drastically alter their projected outcome. They remain longshots to win the Super Bowl and the AFC Championship and are still expected to finish as runners-up in their division. Their odds to miss the playoffs (-300) are the ninth-highest in the NFL.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.