The 2023 NFL Draft is less than a month away, yet there are still a few big names expected to change teams before the big event in underway. DeAndre Hopkins trade rumors have been swirling around for months now, but with a quiet market, there are talks that the Cardinals will release him. Will Arizona actually find a suitor, or will they be forced to part ways with the three-time All-Pro and get nothing in return.
Cardinals Expected To Release DeAndre Hopkins If No Trade Occurs
The Hurdles In A Trade
Even if they have to lose him for nothing, it’s hard to imagine a world where DeAndre Hopkins plays for the Cardinals in 2023. Hopkins, now on the wrong side of 30, only has a few years left of elite play, and he won’t want to waste them with the Cardinals. The team boasts one of the least talented rosters in football, and quarterback Kyler Murray is coming off a torn ACL. The Cardinals need picks, so they’d love to trade him, but even if they can’t, they can still save $19.45 million in cap space by cutting him with a post-June 1st designation. Hopkins, meanwhile, would probably love the chance to play for a true contender in his twilight years.
The biggest holdup here is draft compensation. The most recent DeAndre Hopkins trade report stated that the Cardinals wanted a similar package to what the Carolina Panthers received for Christian McCaffrey. The rest of the league, however, does not seem to believe a 30-year-old Hopkins justifies that type of return.
Looking around the league, it’s easy to see why teams are hesitant to meet Arizona’s asking price. The veteran trade market has been remarkably quiet this year, with Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks going for nothing more than late-round picks. Hopkins is still a good football player, but he’s due a massive salary, and teams appear unwilling to pay it.
Ultimately, if faced with no other option, the Cardinals will cut their losses and release DeAndre Hopkins. However, Arizona is going to wait as long as they can in hopes that a team gets desperate. With that in mind, we shouldn’t expect a DeAndre Hopkins trade or release until the NFL Draft itself, but which team will end up with the talented wideout? Keep in mind that Hopkins is a vested vet, so he is not subject to waivers upon release – he will have the right to choose his next team if a trade does not come to fruition.
Who Will Trade For DeAndre Hopkins?
As has been the case since the trade rumors started, the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs remain the two favorites for Hopkins. Both teams are among the NFL elite, and both could use another receiver to power their aerial attacks. Stefon Diggs is staying in Buffalo, but he could use another receiver opposite him after Gabriel Davis didn’t make the most of his opportunity. Kansas City, meanwhile, needs to find a replacement for Juju-Smith Schuster. Even if they feel good about Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have a proven receiver.
The Ravens only fit the bill as contenders if Lamar Jackson sticks around, but assuming the quarterback remains in Baltimore, trading for DeAndre Hopkins makes all the sense in the world. The Ravens have perhaps the worst wide receivers in the league, but combining Hopkins with Mark Andrews will give Jackson two reliable receiving options.
NFC Team Fits
The Cardinals would probably prefer to trade DeAndre Hopkins to the AFC, but they shouldn’t be opposed to a trade within the conference if a team like the Minnesota Vikings makes the best offer. After all, if they release Hopkins, they have no control over his future anyway. After losing Adam Thielen, the Vikings do not have any proven receivers behind superstar Justin Jefferson. With Aaron Rodgers (presumably) out of the division, the Vikings should do everything they can to go all-in for 2023.
The New Orleans Saints, meanwhile, will have Michael Thomas back in 2023, but he hasn’t been healthy since 2019, so they shouldn’t bank on getting a full season out of him. Chris Olave is a superstar, but this team could use another receiver if they want to make serious noise in the playoffs.
The Carolina Panthers do not fit the bill as contenders, so maybe Hopkins wouldn’t want to play here, but they could certainly use him. Superstar wide receivers have helped young quarterbacks develop into franchise passers, and Carolina needs CJ Stroud to be their long-awaited heir to Cam Newton. Maybe Hopkins will have lost a step by the time Carolina is ready to compete for a championship, but if he can be to Stroud what Stefon Diggs was to Josh Allen, then he’s worth trading for.
Main Photo: Michael Chow – USA Today Sports
