One of the players that many people are expecting to be on the move during the 2023 NFL Draft is Arizona Cardinals wide receiver, DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins has been on the block for a few weeks now as the team made him available before free agency got underway. However, the market for him hasn’t been very hot.
Hopkins remains very productive when he is on the field. Last year he led Arizona with 717 yards, catching 64 passes and three touchdowns. The biggest issue facing the former All-Pro is that he has struggled with availability the last two seasons.
In 2022, Hopkins missed eight games because of injuries and a suspension. That followed up a 2021 campaign in which he was sidelined for seven games. His inability to stay on the field certainly makes things risky for prospective suitors, but it is his contract that is the biggest hurdle.
In 2023, Hopkins has a base salary of $19.45 million. That is a huge jump from his 2022 payment of $6.65 million and more than what he will earn in 2024 with a base salary of $14.92 million. A restructure would help knock down that base salary, but it is hard to imagine teams will be willing to pay him more money given how the last two seasons have gone.
Right now, that contract is the biggest obstacle to getting a trade done. According to Dan Graziano of ESPN, teams calling about making a trade for Hopkins want part of the contract paid for. But, that isn’t something the Cardinals are currently willing to do.
“Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is available, but interested teams have wanted Arizona to pay a portion of his $19.45 million salary, and it doesn’t make a lot of sense for it to unload him if it isn’t getting the full benefit of the cap relief.”
These negotiations could continue beyond the 2023 NFL Draft. A first-round pick assuredly won’t be involved, so the Cardinals do have an extra day or two to get a deal done if they prioritize draft capital this year.
If they are willing to wait for compensation to convey in 2024, trade talks could continue into the summer. Arizona was reportedly seeking a second-round pick along with one more asset, but that isn’t a price any team is going to get close to meeting.
If the Cardinals aren’t going to budge on paying some of Hopkins’ contract, they are going to get very little value in return for him. If they agree to pay some of it, the return package they will receive will improve. The Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills have been connected to Hopkins the most.
