The Arizona Cardinals have reportedly taken a significant step as it pertains to trading star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, with a deal now thought to be imminent.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the team has granted other NFL teams permission to open talks with the wide receiver and his agent as they look to secure a trade for the 30-year-old, something they’ve apparently found some difficulty doing.
The Cardinals are believed to have asked for a second-round draft pick plus another asset in exchange for the player but it appears teams aren’t biting. Making things even more complicated is the Dallas Cowboys landing Branding Cooks for fifth and six-round picks over the span of two years.
Hopkins is older than Cooks, who’s 29, and his age is thought to be a discouraging factor. His recent suspension for PED usage, as well as his injury history and various other issues with past teams, are also thought to have made the trade more challenging than Arizona expected.
The New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, and Baltimore Ravens are the teams thought to be the most interested in acquiring a receiver. Odell Beckham remains an option whom teams won’t have to give up any draft picks in order to sign, though it’s been rumored that one team is out to get both receivers.
Breer has suggested that a trade could be easier to reach if the Cardinals pick up part of the WR’s $19.4 million base salary for 2023 before opening discussions with prospective suitors.
