Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins won’t need surgery for his knee injury but will be out for “several weeks,” first-year coach Brian Callahan said on Saturday.
Callahan didn’t go into details about the injury, which Hopkins suffered earlier this week. The 32-year-old Hopkins was seen with a wrap on his left knee during practice on Wednesday.
“It’s not a surgical issue, so the timeline could vary on those injuries. So it’ll be a few weeks, probably,” Callahan said.
Hopkins, a three-time All-Pro, led the Titans last season with 75 catches for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Titans added veteran receivers Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd this offseason, but Hopkins is still expected to be the main target for quarterback Will Levis.
Callahan isn’t too worried about Hopkins missing practice time while the Titans set up a new offensive system.
“It’ll impact it a little bit, but he’s been around for enough of it that none of it will be new to him,” Callahan said. “He will still be in the meetings and he’ll still be around the process. … I don’t have a lot of concern about that. I think at this stage of his career, he’s able to play and not have many issues with the offense.”
The Titans start the season on Sept. 8 against Chicago.
Callahan mentioned that Hopkins’ injury opens up chances for 2022 first-round draft pick Treylon Burks and veteran Nick Westbrook-Ikhine to get more practice and preseason reps with the starters.
“It’s just like any position where there is an entrenched starter or entrenched player,” Callahan said. “There’s not really a position battle. D-Hop is a starting receiver. But there’s opportunity with Treylon and Nick Westbrook and some of the younger guys. We’re going to give them more reps just by nature of missing a player in the rotation.”
Burks, who missed six games in each of his first two seasons, said Hopkins has been a mentor.
“Obviously, I look up to D-Hop a lot. He told me just to do what I do and go out there and take care of business, and that’s what I’ve been doing even before his injury happened,” Burks said. “I’m just going to continue to keep doing what I’m doing.”
