Report: Cardinals Will Try To Trade DeAndre Hopkins In Offseason; Where Will He Go?
Are the Arizona Cardinals intentionally trying to piss off Kyler Murray?
The Cards appear to be cleaning house after letting go of head coach Kliff Kingsbury on Black Monday. Reports surfaced Tuesday, via TheScore's Jordan Schultz, that the team is planning on vetting trade offers for three-time All-Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins this offseason.
Hopkins' current deal with the Cardinals holds a no-trade clause, meaning the 30-year-old wideout will have to agree to the trade.
Whether it's at Hopkins' request or Arizona's, the move doesn't make much sense outside of a potential reboot for the franchise. It truly comes as a bit of a shock considering the rapport he's established with Kyler Murray and how skinny the team has been on wide receivers after letting Christian Kirk walk and losing Rondale Moore to IR because of a groin injury.
What's Next For DeAndre Hopkins?
Hopkins started the season on the wrong foot after missing the first six games over violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drugs policy.
Though still effective as a pass-catcher for the rotation of starting quarterbacks after Murray's season-ending ACL injury, Hopkins finished the season with a down year: catching 64 passes for 717 yards and three receiving TDs.
Arizona's trade for D-Hop on March 2020 was a splash deal that sent a top-three WR in the NFL from the descending Houston Texans to the ascending Cardinals offense.
Now that the Cardinals are trending downward — devoid of a GM, head coach and starting quarterback for the foreseeable future — it's Arizona's turn to squeeze the remaining value left in their star skill players.
Hopkins' value should still remain high for playoff-caliber teams searching for another No. 1 target. Teams like the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants come to mind following their heavy pursuit of Odell Beckham, Jr. this year. The Chicago Bears could also enter the trade picture given that they hold the most cap space in the NFL and the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2023 draft.
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Hopkins is still under contract for two more years. Unloading D-Hop would incur a $30.75 million cap hit for the Cardinals next season.
Where will D-Hop be traded if the Cards go through with their plans?