Ryan Tannehill says Titans have seen 'vintage' DeAndre Hopkins during camp

The Tennessee Titans finally landed the big-time wideout they’d been looking for by signing DeAndre Hopkins to a two-year deal earlier this offseason.

While Hopkins has seldom looked like one of the best receivers in the NFL over the past two seasons, largely due to injuries, Ryan Tannehill believes a return to form is right around the corner. Speaking on “Inside Training Camp Live” Tuesday, the Titans quarterback said that “vintage Hopkins” has shown up to training camp this season.

“He’s been a big addition,” Tannehill said, via NFL.com. “We’ve seen some huge plays from him. Vintage Hopkins that you’ve seen across his career of tight, contested catches when he’s able to elevate or make the extended catch. So, as a quarterback, it’s been a lot of fun to find those areas where I can put the ball where only he can get it and then he’s making the play.”

The Titans inked the 31-year-old to a two-year, $26 million deal, with the opportunity for Hopkins to earn an extra $6 million with the incentives.

“I am very happy, very glad,” Hopkins said after signing. “This was a team that as soon as the offseason hit and I knew I was possibly going to be traded, this was a team that was on my list of places that I wanted to play because of the history [head coach] Mike Vrabel and I have, the history Tim Kelly and I have.

“I wanted to be somewhere where I knew people had my best interests, not just on the field but off the field as well.”

How did DeAndre Hopkins land in Nashville?

Hopkins visited the Titans and the New England Patriots following his release from the Arizona Cardinals on May 26. In the end, he made a move back to the AFC South, where he began his career with the Houston Texans. He joins a receiving corps that includes second-year receiver Treylon Burks, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Kyle Phillips.

Tannehill offered some behind-the-scenes details as to how Hopkins, a high-value free agent, made it to Nashville.

“I was able to go out to dinner and I spent some time with him back, I don’t know, it was May or June, right, whenever this thing first started happening,” Tannehill said. “And then I was communicating with him, checking in every week or two saying ‘hey, what’s going on and where are you?’ I was kind of along for the ride just like everybody else.

“But thankfully, we were able to add him to the group and he’s been a big addition.” the quarterback said. “There’s been a lot of the same things we’ve been talking about with everyone else. But we’ve seen some huge plays, vintage Hopkins that you’ve seen across his career of tight contested catches. And he’s able to elevate or, or make the extended catch. So as a quarterback, it’s been a lot of fun to find those areas where I can put the ball where only he can get it and then he’s making the point.”