Back in 2020, DeAndre Hopkins arrived on the Arizona Cardinals’ roster, hoping to win his first Super Bowl ring. Kyler Murray had just become the No. 1 overall pick the year prior, and the fanbase was brimming with hope.
While Hopkins did enjoy one magical season where he recorded 1,407 receiving yards, helping the Cardinals improve from five wins to eight. Hopkins would then battle injuries the next two seasons, playing in 19 games.
Now, with Murray rehabbing a torn ACL and likely to miss at least a portion of the start of the season, the Cardinals aren’t exactly entering the season as a top Super Bowl contender. Plus, Hopkins will be 31 in June, he may not want to wait around for the rebuilding/retooling effort to reach contender status.
In turn, Hopkins may still want a trade, but according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, teams just aren’t willing to pay his full salary of $19.45 million for 2023. Yet, Hopkins also doesn’t appear willing to reduce his salary, which, according to Breer, is the reason he hasn’t been traded. The three-time All-Pro is also under contract for 2024 with a cap hit of $26.2 million.
Hopkins may have battled some durability issues the past two seasons, but both the Cardinals and other teams around the league still view him as a playmaking weapon. The Cardinals, who may be building for 2024 more than 2023 at this point, likely won’t release such a talented player.
Related: Carson Wentz receiving NFL interest, ‘open’ to various roles in 2023