Trade Talks Ramping Up For DeAndre Hopkins

According to Ian Rapoport, trade talks are ramping up for Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins and it’s possible a deal comes together. 

Rapoport adds that similar to the Cowboys’ trade for Texans WR Brandin Cooks, an acquiring team would need to alter Hopkins’ contract. 

Houston ate $6 million of Cooks’ $18 million base salary and Dallas changed Cooks’ deal further to lower his base salary in 2024. 

Hopkins is owed over $33 million in the final two years of his deal but has no remaining guarantees. He’s still been highly productive although he’ll turn 31 this year. 

According to Jeremy Fowler, teams he’s spoken to have said the Cardinals want “hefty compensation” for Hopkins and they’d want a “premium Day 2 pick and more” in exchange for the veteran receiver. 

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 is owed base salaries of $19,450,000 and $14,915,000 over the final two years of the agreement, which is likely why he’ll want a new deal.

The Cardinals would take on $22.6 million of dead money and create $8.15 million of cap space by trading him.

In 2022, Hopkins appeared in nine games for the Cardinals and caught 64 passes for 717 yards receiving and three touchdowns.

We’ll have more on Hopkins as the news is available.