The Arizona Cardinals will not be getting what they want in a trade for DeAndre Hopkins.
After going through a 4-13 regular season, the team has effectively seen its roster, coaching staff, and front office stripped down in favor of a rebuild. To help navigate that rebuild is the team trying to trade Hopkins. One of those dilemmas in doing so is the high price tag.
In a recent mailbag run, Albert Breer says the Cardinals will have to drop their initial expectations for a return on their star receiver.
“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,” said Breer.
“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.
“The reason why? He’s missed 17 games in the past two years (11 because of injury), he’s about to turn 31 and he’s coming with strings attached (one being that he really doesn’t practice during the week, which is more manageable in some places than others). Because of that, you can immediately eliminate teams that are rebuilding, have a rookie quarterback, or might need a culture change (where the highest-paid players need to drive the atmosphere). That means the market is limited. He’s also owed $19.45 million for 2023.”
Former NFL executive Michael Lombardi said the market surrounding Hopkins was “really soft”
“I think his market is really soft. I don’t think anybody wants to get into the Hopkins business, and then have to redo his contract,” said Lombardi.
“From what I’m told, it’s soft. There’s not a lot of action out there on him. He’s a good player, he’s always covered, but he always comes up with the football. But there’s other things that go into this, that I’m not at liberty to discuss that’s probably holding it all back.”
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
There is no doubt that Hopkins is a true talent at the WR position, but his age, contract, and inability to stay on the field has impacted his price tag. It looks like the Cardinals will have to either get what they can for him or just keep him on a team that is not going anywhere.
