The Arizona Cardinals are expected to pull off a DeAndre Hopkins trade at some point during or before the 2023 NFL Draft in April.
Arizona has been talking to other teams about the high-priced five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver. Unfortunately, it now appears that the market has dwindled to an extent for his services.
It was this past weekend that the Dallas Cowboys acquired Brandin Cooks in a trade with the Houston Texans. More recently, the Cleveland Browns acquired Elijah Moore in a trade with the New York Jets. Two teams that had varying amount of interest in Hopkins are now no longer in on the veteran.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, this will likely lower the return Arizona receives in any trade for Hopkins.
“I don’t think it’ll be what they wanted initially. The ask had been a second-round pick and another asset. Based on indications I’ve gotten, that sort of return simply isn’t coming. I do think he’ll bring back more than Brandin Cooks did for the Texans—Houston got a 2023 fifth-rounder and ’24 sixth-rounder for him from the Cowboys—but it’ll probably be closer to that than what Arizona is looking for.”
Report on return in a potential DeAndre Hopkins trade
As Breer noted, Dallas received two mid-to-late round picks to acquire Cooks from Houston. That will play a role in whatever Arizona receives.
Sportsnaut NFL insider Benjamin Allbright had reported recently that the Cardinals wanted a second-round pick and change for Hopkins. This now appears to be off the table given what we’ve seen on the wide receiver trade market in recent days.
Related: Updated NFL trade rumors
DeAndre Hopkins trade talks should heat up
This comes with a backdrop of talks between the Cardinals and other teams heating up for Hopkins ahead of the NFL Draft in roughly five weeks.
Set to enter a rebuild season under first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon, the Cardinals want to acquire capital in the coming draft. At issue here is their overvaluation of Hopkins in today’s market, his advanced age and a bloated contract.
- DeAndre Hopkins contract: 2 years, $54 million; $30.75 Million cap hit in 2023
Any team acquiring Hopkins would be on the hook for nearly $22 million in 2023, meaning that an extension would have to be worked out.
Hopkins last put up a 1,000-yard season back in 2020 when he went for 1,407 yards with Arizona. He missed seven games to injury in 2021 and was suspended for the first six games of last season for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug (PED) policy.
As of this writing, the New England Patriots have to be seen as the favorites to land Hopkins in a trade. Head coach Bill Belichick has spoken glowingly of Hopkins in the past. Meanwhile, the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs have some registered interest in a DeAndre Hopkins trade, too.