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The Arizona Cardinals may be releasing All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins. According to Sports Illustrated reporter Albert Breer, some NFL teams think that the Cardinals will be releasing Hopkins due to the lack of interest in trading for his contract.
During an appearance on the Greg Bedard Podcast, Breer stated that “Some teams think that Cardinals are going to cut him, they think the Cardinals will wind up cutting him.” Breer said, “His market is not great right now.” He further added, “There’s nobody who was willing to take on Hopkins’ contract and pay the Cardinals initial asking price.”
The Cardinals initially asked other teams for a second-round pick plus something else in exchange for Hopkins. However, no team has shown any interest in meeting the Cardinals’ asking price. Hopkins is set to make approximately $34 million over the next two seasons, which is a significant amount of money for most teams.
Breer mentioned that Hopkins has considerable control over the situation because teams have to go to him to renegotiate his contract.
The Cardinals recently gave NFL teams permission to speak with Hopkins and his camp.
He specifically mentioned the Kansas City Chiefs as an option, stating that they would need him to take a “significant pay-cut” in order to trade for him. Breer agreed that the Chiefs would need to offer a low-end deal similar to the one JuJu Smith-Schuster signed with them a year ago.
Breer also mentioned the New England Patriots, saying they would only consider taking on Hopkins’ contract if they did not have to pay any draft picks to the Cardinals in return. Alternatively, they could pay “way way less” than what the Cardinals initially asked for, and Hopkins would need to adjust his contract in order for them to acquire the former All-Pro.
The rumors of Hopkins’ potential release or trade have raised questions about the Cardinals’ strategy going into the upcoming season. Hopkins has been key player in the team’s offense, and his loss could have a significant impact on their performance. Fans will be closely watching the situation to see how it develops.
While some teams are interested in Hopkins, they are not willing to pay the price the Cardinals are asking for. Hopkins has considerable control over the situation, and it remains to be seen what his next move will be.