Baltimore, MD – June 4, 2025
DeAndre Hopkins didn’t come to Baltimore to be a decoy. And despite what the early offseason depth charts might suggest, Todd Monken and the Ravens coaching staff are making it clear: Hopkins isn’t WR3 — he’s a chess piece.
In a league obsessed with labels and pecking orders, the assumption that Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman would take precedence in the pecking order was easy to make. But inside the walls of the Ravens’ facility, a different narrative is taking shape — one where Hopkins isn’t just another receiver, but a unique weapon whose role bends depending on the situation.
“We didn’t bring Hop in to run curl routes from the sideline,” said offensive coordinator Todd Monken. “He’s a situational problem-solver. Red zone, third down, big moments — that’s where you’ll see him the most.”
The shift is as subtle as it is powerful. Rather than forcing Hopkins into a high-volume, snap-heavy role like in Arizona, the Ravens are choosing to preserve his explosiveness. They’re crafting plays where he can isolate matchups, exploit soft zones, and punish secondaries already stressed by Lamar Jackson’s dual-threat presence.
In OTAs, that strategy has already come alive. On multiple red zone drills, Hopkins lined up in the slot — a position he rarely occupied earlier in his career — drawing safeties and linebackers who couldn’t match his precision or hands. On third downs, he’s often Jackson’s first read, trusted to make contested grabs in traffic with that signature grace and strength.
“You can’t teach what Hop brings,” said Lamar Jackson. “His timing, his body control, his feel — that’s something different. I trust him.”
While fans expected splash plays and gaudy numbers, what they may get instead is quiet brilliance — the kind that shows up in key conversions and touchdowns when it matters most. Hopkins may not lead the Ravens in targets, but his impact could still be felt on every scoring drive.
For a team chasing a Super Bowl, having a wideout who doesn’t need volume to dominate might be the perfect complement to Jackson’s dynamic offense. And if the early signs are any indication, Hopkins won’t need 1,200 yards to prove his worth — just the right plays at the right time.
Because in Baltimore, he’s not WR3. He’s the strategic weapon hiding in plain sight.
