DeAndre Hopkins injury update: Tennessee Titans WR injures knee in preseason practice
Tennessee Titans receiver DeAndre Hopkins is expected to miss four or more weeks with a tweaked knee that could possibly be an MCL injury, a source with knowledge of the situation informed The Tennessean.
The source says Hopkins' status will most likely come down to his ability to tolerate the pain, but it is expected that he'll be ready for Week 1.
A second source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Tennessean that Hopkins got "tangled up" with a teammate this week in practice, but said conversations about whether the injury is severe enough to cause missed time or about timetables for return have not yet happened. Hopkins practiced in full on Tuesday and Wednesday. He had a small gauze bandage secured to his leg during Wednesday's practice but nothing indicating a wrap or brace needed for stability.
Depending on his recovery timeline, Hopkins could be ready in time for the Titans to return to action against the Chicago Bears in Week 1 of the 2024 season on Sept. 8 if he heals quickly. In a longer recovery process, he'd be back in time for the Titans' Week 2 or Week 3 games at home against the New York Jets or Green Bay Packers.
Hopkins caught 75 passes for 1,057 yards with seven touchdowns in 2023, his first season with the Titans and played in all 17 games. Hopkins is part of a Titans offensive overload with the additions of wide receiver Calvin Ridley from the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tyler Boyd from the Cincinnati Bengals.
If he has to miss time, it may mean an expanded role from third-year WR Treylon Burks. Burks has just 49 catches for 665 yards in the past two seasons. Burks played in just 11 games in 2023 because of injury and had just 16 catches for 221 yards.
Hopkins has played 11 seasons in the NFL with 12,355 receiving yards and 78 TD catches. He played just nine games in 2022 with the Arizona Cardinals after being suspended for the first six games for violating the NFL's PED policy. He played in just 10 in 2021 and missed the final six games with a torn MCL.
The Titans return to practice on Saturday, Aug. 3. Their first preseason game will be on Aug. 10 against the San Francisco 49ers at Nissan Stadium.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: DeAndre Hopkins injury update: Tennessee Titans WR injured in practice
