The trade market for Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins seems to be dwindling by the day.
It was just last weekend that the Dallas Cowboys dealt for Houston Texans wide receiver Brandin Cooks. More recently, the Elijah Moore trade to the Cleveland Browns eliminated them as a possibility.
Another potential suitor seems to have bit the dust. According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, the New England Patriots don’t plan on making a run for the Pro Bowl pass catcher. Howe notes that unless New England has a change in organizational philosophy under Bill Belichick, it won’t pursue Hopkins.
New England was previously seen as the odds-on favorite to land DeAndre Hopkins from Arizona. Even after signing JuJu Smith-Schuster, the team has a need at wide receiver. Apparently, that plan does not include Hopkins.
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Where DeAndre Hopkins trade talks stand
Hopkins is slated to count $30.75 million against the cap in 2023. Any acquiring team would be on the hook for $19.45 million, meaning an extension would have to be in the cards. That complicates things to an extent.
It is also important to note that Hopkins is 30 years old and was suspended to open last season after violating the NFL performance enhancing drug (PED) policy. In fact, he has not tallied a 1,000-yard season since 2020.
Arizona was said to be looking for a second-round pick and change for Hopkins. A recent report indicates that it won’t receive anywhere near that. Perhaps, the return will be a tad more than the fifth-and-sixth-round picks Houston got from Dallas for Cooks.
It’s all about supply and demand right now. Most teams have already done their heavy lifting during the off-season. Meanwhile, there are two younger Denver Broncos receivers who could be on the trade block right now.
As of right now, contending teams with a need at wide receiver include the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs as well as the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens. It will be fascinating to see how the DeAndre Hopkins situation plays out ahead of next month’s NFL Draft.