NFL Rumors: Chiefs’ bracing for $28,000,000 move amid intense DeAndre Hopkins speculation

As the Chiefs and DeAndre Hopkins' former team know as well as anyone, putting together a Super Bowl-winning roster is expensive. Keeping that team together is even more expensive. However, rumors are rumbling that Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs are making a move to load up ahead of the 2023 season in a massive way, starting with a money-saving maneuver.

According to Jeff Darlington via ML Football on Twitter, the franchise is looking to extend star defensive tackle Chris Jones and save $28 million in the process. The move would lower the cap cost, opening the door for a run at DeAndre Hopkins.

If the Chiefs get the former No. 1 receiver of the Cardinals and Texans, it would set up a one-two punch of Travis Kelce and Hopkins above and below the secondary. It goes without saying that most assume such a move would boost the team's imaginary overall rating in a year following a Super Bowl win.

Chargers, Broncos and Raiders fans have spent the offseason hoping and praying that Hopkins would go anywhere of the remaining options as long as it wasn't the Chiefs. Of course, this is not a guarantee that Hopkins will be joining the franchise, but it does reveal that the team appears to be looking to make a big splash to open training camp.

Free agent options for the Chiefs instead of DeAndre Hopkins

Dalvin Cook at New York Giants v Minnesota Vikings

If the team fails to get the most valuable receiver on the market, there still remains a significant number of options for the franchise on offense. Dalvin Cook is still available, as is Ezekiel Elliott and Kareem Hunt. Leonard Fournette is also on the market, according to NFL trade rumors.

Cook is rumored to be looking for big-time money, but with running backs not costing as much as star receivers these days, with $28 million potentially opening up, it definitely does not mean the end of the shopping window.

Essentially, if the team misses out on DeAndre Hopkins, it might be able to get one or two players at running back as a consolation prize. Put simply, the AFC West appears to be in line to see at least one big name join the hegemon of the division.

In a year that most teams see a step back in terms of roster construction following a Super Bowl victory, could the roster instead see an improvement?