Details of Tennessee Titans Contract with DeAndre Hopkins Revealed: Guarantees, Void Years & Cap Hit

Let's dive into the important details and things that stand out here.

Void Years & Cap Hit

Void years can be added to a contract to manipulate a player's hit against the salary cap. When you give a player a signing bonus the player gets that money, but for salary cap purposes and how a player counts against the cap, that bonus money is spread evenly throughout the amount of years on the contract. 

The Titans gave Hopkins a $9.8 million signing bonus and that divided by "five years" is the $1.9 million you see in the second column from the left. If this contract was set up as a true two-year deal, the bonus money would be split between only two years and therefore be $4.9 million against the cap each year

Using this method to keep the bonus hit low and a low base salary in the first year allowed the Titans to keep Hopkins hit against the salary cap down to a low $3.6 million. Quite the bargain for a receiver of Hopkins caliber. Hopkins gets a good chunk of money, but the Titans keep cap flexibility.

True Deal - Guaranteed Money & Potential Out

Looking at the guaranteed money and the structure of the deal, this is truly a one-year deal for $10.9 million for the Titans, if things go poorly. They owe Hopkins $10.9 million in cash in year one, but have the ability to cut him prior to the start of the NFL's 2024 year next March with minimal damage due to Hopkins having no guaranteed money left on the deal after the first season.

If cut, Hopkins would leave a dead cap number of only $7.8 million while saving the team $8.1 million in salary cap room. With the Titans projected to have over $70 million in cap space in 2024, they can certainly eat the low dead cap hit. 

Positive Potential

One of the things I like the most about this deal is it gives the Titans a chance to pay Hopkins his worth if he does perform. We know about the incentives the Titans have tied into the deal and with a $4 million roster bonus and an increased salary of $8.2 million, the Titans can make it up to Hopkins after he took a discount to start. 

Yes, the structure of the deal and the limited guaranteed money make this a major win for the Titans. It can also be a win for Hopkins if he earns it in 2023. The Titans have protected themselves from a letdown while also setting up Hopkins for a proper payday in 2024, if deserved.

This deal is a win-win for both parties with the potential to handle any 2023 outcome in a reasonable manner for all sides involved. It also leaves the Titans with $12.9 million in remaining cap space to make deals throughout the rest of the summer. It continues an incredible first offseason for Titans general manager Ran Carthon.

Titans Training Camp Stories

• Vrabel Names RT Options: The Tennessee Titans need to find a replacement for starting right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere due to a gambling suspension. Mike Vrabel named the internal options for the Titans at the first press conference of training camp. CLICK HERE
• Malik's 'Glaring Improvement': The Tennessee Titans hosted a press conference to kickoff their 2023 training camp and Mike Vrabel spoke about second-year quarterback Malik Willis, noting his "glaring improvement." CLICK HERE
• Titans Offseason Awards: As we see each year at the start of Tennessee Titans training camp, Mike Vrabel announced the 2023 offseason winners on offense and defense led by starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill. CLICK HERE