OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry doesn’t mind the trash talk directed at wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. In fact, he is encouraging it.
“Hopefully, they keep calling him ‘washed’ because that s— has been working,” Henry said with a smile after Friday’s practice. “We need it.”
Hopkins, 33, has enjoyed a resurgent start with the Ravens. In his first two games with Baltimore, the five-time Pro Bowl receiver has made tough contested touchdown catches, recording TDs of 23 and 29 yards.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson first brought up the outside criticism of Hopkins “being washed” after Sunday’s 41-17 win over the Cleveland Browns.
“But he’s showing otherwise,” Jackson said. “The guy has huge hands to catch the ball — one hand, two fingers — it doesn’t really matter.”
In the season-opening 41-40 loss in Buffalo, Hopkins made his fourth one-handed touchdown catch since 2017, which is tied for the most in the NFL over that span. In the victory over the Browns, Hopkins pulled in a 23-yard touchdown reception from Jackson with very little separation.
When the Ravens play the Detroit Lions on Monday night, Hopkins is looking to become the first Ravens player to produce a touchdown catch in each of Baltimore’s first three games of a season.
“I think he has done this his whole career,” Henry said of Hopkins’ ability to make plays at this stage of his career. “Everybody knows that stigma, when you get up in age, all of a sudden, something has changed.”
Hopkins signed a one-year, $5 million deal with Baltimore this offseason after struggling in 2024. With the Titans and Chiefs, Hopkins was held to career lows of 38.1 yards receiving per game and 10.9 yards per catch.
With the Ravens, Hopkins has made a big impact despite not having much playing time. He was on the field for 18 snaps in Week 1 and 10 snaps in Week 2.
“We’re just going to continue to get him up to speed,” Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken said. “With every day, I think his packages are going to continue to grow as we keep going and moving forward. And we have to have that be the case because he’s a tremendous football player. The more we can get him on the field, the better we’re going to be at moving forward.”
