According to Ian Rapoport, former Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins has hired an agent to represent him in free agency.
Hopkins hired Kelton Crenshaw who works for Klutch Sports, per Rapoport. This is the first NFLPA-certified agent Hopkins has hired since electing to represent himself as his own agent years ago.
Pro Football Talk notes that while Hopkins said earlier this offseason he had hired an agent, he had been leaning on uncertified advisor Saint Omni, who has worked in some form or fashion with other players.
However, NFL teams are prohibited from discussing business with non-NFLPA-certified agents. The league actually issued a memo specifically about Omni last summer when he was advising LB Roquan Smith as he sought a trade out of Chicago. PFT says at least one team has shied away from pursuing Hopkins so far to avoid dealing with Omni.
Now that he’s a free agent after being released by the Cardinals, Hopkins is expected to have multiple suitors, including potentially the Chiefs and Bills.
It will be interesting to see what financial market develops for his services, however, after teams were reluctant to take on the $19.5 million he was owed in 2023 in a trade.
Hopkins, 30, is a former first-round pick of the Texans back in 2013. Houston later traded Hopkins to the Cardinals in return for David Johnson and draft picks.
Hopkins was in the third year of his five-year, $81 million extension that included $49 million guaranteed when he agreed to a two-year, $54.5 million extension with the Cardinals.
Hopkins was owed base salaries of $19,450,000 and $14,915,000 over the final two years of the agreement when the Cardinals opted to release him.
In 2022, Hopkins appeared in nine games for the Cardinals and caught 64 passes for 717 yards receiving and three touchdowns.
We have him included in our Top 100 – 2023 NFL Free Agents list.
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