DeAndre Hopkins was one of six wide receivers traded during the 2024 NFL season, the most during any season this century.
On Monday night, DeAndre Hopkins delivered exactly what the Kansas City Chiefs had in mind when they traded for the former Tennessee Titans Pro Bowler on October 23. Hopkins recorded eight receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Chiefs secure an overtime win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and preserve their unbeaten streak.
At the season’s midpoint, three of the four teams with the best Super Bowl odds had recently traded for a wide receiver. Alongside the Chiefs, the Buffalo Bills acquired Amari Cooper, while the Baltimore Ravens added Diontae Johnson.
The New York Jets also struck a deal for Davante Adams in October, followed by two more trades on deadline day: Jonathan Mingo to the Dallas Cowboys and Mike Williams to the Pittsburgh Steelers. In total, these six wide receiver trades during the 2024 season set a record as the highest in any single year this century, per Spotrac.
Wide receivers are the most frequently traded players during the season. Over the last decade, 31 receivers have been traded after Week 1’s kickoff, significantly outpacing defensive ends (22), cornerbacks (19), and linebackers (19). This number also comes close to matching all other offensive players combined (38).
Wide receivers also feature prominently in the biggest trades. Of the 29 in-season trades since 2015 that involved a first, second, or third-round draft pick, 10 were for wide receivers.
**NFL Players Traded Mid-Season Since 2015**
*(Traded for a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Round Pick)*
**Offense**
– WR: 31
– RB: 16
– OL: 9
– TE: 8
– QB: 5
**Defense**
– DE: 22
– LB: 19
– CB: 19
– DT: 7
– S: 7
This season, two wide receiver trades met the high-value criteria, with Amari Cooper and Davante Adams both costing their new teams at least a third-round pick. Mid-season wide receiver trades are so frequent that this wasn’t even Cooper’s first; he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for a first-round pick back in October 2018.
Historically, these trades haven’t often led to big wins. Since 2000, only two of the 15 teams that traded for a former Pro Bowl wide receiver mid-season have reached the Super Bowl with that player.
The first instance was the 2019 San Francisco 49ers, who acquired Emmanuel Sanders and saw him play in 10 regular-season games as they advanced to the Super Bowl, only to lose him in the offseason. The second was the 2023 Chiefs, who reacquired Mecole Hardman after a brief time with the Jets. Hardman scored the winning touchdown in Super Bowl 58, though he was not a major part of the offense overall.
Many other wide receiver trades have ended in short-term stints with limited impact. For example, in 2018, the Houston Texans gave up two picks for Demaryius Thomas, and the Philadelphia Eagles traded a third-round pick for Golden Tate. Both teams were eliminated in the first and second rounds of the playoffs, respectively, and neither player returned the next season.
More recently, Calvin Ridley played just one season for the Jacksonville Jaguars after they acquired him in 2022 for a third-round pick. Even less successful was the Chicago Bears’ trade for Chase Claypool, where they gave up a second-round pick in 2022, only for Claypool to play in just 10 games with the team.
However, looking further back reveals a few success stories. For example, the New York Jets’ acquisition of Braylon Edwards in 2009 provided rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez with an additional offensive weapon, contributing to the team’s back-to-back appearances in the AFC Championship games.
**In-Season Trades for Former Pro Bowl Wide Receivers**
| Year | Player | New Team | First Year Playoff Result | Total Games Played |
|——|——————–|————————|—————————–|———————|
| 2024 | Diontae Johnson | Baltimore Ravens | TBD | TBD |
| 2024 | DeAndre Hopkins | Kansas City Chiefs | TBD | TBD |
| 2024 | Amari Cooper | Buffalo Bills | TBD | TBD |
| 2024 | Davante Adams | New York Jets | TBD | TBD |
| 2023 | Mecole Hardman | Kansas City Chiefs | Super Bowl Win | TBD |
| 2019 | Emmanuel Sanders | San Francisco 49ers | Super Bowl Loss | 10 |
| 2018 | Golden Tate | Philadelphia Eagles | Divisional Round Loss | 8 |
| 2018 | Demaryius Thomas | Houston Texans | Wild Card Loss | 7 |
| 2018 | Amari Cooper | Dallas Cowboys | Divisional Round Loss | 56 |
| 2011 | Brandon Lloyd | Rams | None | 11 |
| 2011 | Derrick Mason | Houston Texans | Divisional Round Loss | 7 |
| 2010 | Deion Branch | New England Patriots | Divisional Round Loss | 36 |
| 2010 | Randy Moss | Minnesota Vikings | None | 4 |
| 2009 | Braylon Edwards | New York Jets | AFC Championship Loss | 28 |
| 2008 | Roy Williams | Dallas Cowboys | None | 40 |
| 2007 | Chris Chambers | Los Angeles Chargers | AFC Championship Loss | 31 |
| 2006 | Deion Branch | Seattle Seahawks | Divisional Round Loss | 51 |
| 2004 | Jerry Rice | Seattle Seahawks | Wild Card Loss | 11 |
| 2004 | Keenan McCardell | Los Angeles Chargers | Wild Card Loss | 27 |
It’s intriguing that wide receivers are the most sought-after commodity for contending teams looking to strengthen their rosters mid-season, especially considering the importance of quarterback chemistry and the challenge of adapting to a new playbook. However, this trend makes sense when considering the high demand for the position, reflected in recent contract values. Since 2014, the average salary for the 10 highest-paid wide receivers has surged by 160%, the biggest increase of any position other than quarterback, even though the salary cap has not nearly doubled.
And if the quarterback is the most critical player on the team, what better way to ensure his satisfaction than by acquiring a new weapon for him to work with?
