DeAndre Hopkins Is Refreshingly Honest About His Preferred Trade Destinations
The Arizona Cardinals franchise is engulfed in a self-induced blazing inferno, so it's hardly a surprise that star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins wants the hell out of there.
Those of us who follow the NFL year-round are up to our eyeballs in bullshit information, dot-connecting speculation and a bunch of nothingburger comments from players throughout the offseason. That's especially the case leading into the NFL Draft, which is less than two weeks away. It's not every day you see someone of Hopkins' caliber who's still under contract with his current team be this open and specific in discussing his future plans about playing elsewhere.
As to where Hopkins wants to go, well, he didn't need to say any words at all. Presented with four potential trade suit in the AFC, the artist known as Nuk was very transparent. The Bills and Chiefs have his attention. The Patriots and Jets? Not so much.
I don't know where Hopkins would fit in the Jets' receiving corps. Even when Odell Beckham Jr. was rumored to be following Aaron Rodgers there before signing with Baltimore, it didn't really add up. Then uhh...New England? Has any team gotten less out of its skill position talent in recent years than the Pats? Hopkins is emphatically opposed to adopting the Patriot Way and having the fun sucked out of the final stretch of his football career.
Speaking of OBJ, if you believe some out-of-touch morons, Bengals fans are allegedly shook that he joined the Ravens.
I'd be a lot more nervous about Hopkins going to Buffalo or Kansas City. Plugging Nuk into that Bills passing attack with Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs would make for a hell of a trio. As for the Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes is unbelievable no matter who's out there. They don't have a true WR1. I still think Hopkins can be that guy for at least another year or two, especially with Travis Kelce attracting so much attention.
If the Cardinals trade Hopkins prior to June 1, they'd save almost $9 million in 2023 cap space but also eat over $21 million in dead money this year. Ex-Arizona GM Steve Keim made a zinger of an observation along these lines not long ago:
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Gee, Steve. I wonder who gave him that contract? Killer job building out the rest of the roster, sir.
To be a little fair to Keim — seriously though, look at the trash heap of talent he left behind for the next regime — Hopkins tore his MCL during the 2021 campaign. That was the first time in his NFL career he missed significant action due to injury. Then, he was tagged with a six-game PED suspension last year. Not great!
Obviously Hopkins needs a change of scenery. The Chiefs and Bills don't have a ton of cap space, but KC is in better position to see through the remaining two years of Nuk's current contract. From an unbiased lens, I feel like Hopkins has been a hell of a player and class act who's gotten royally fucked by having to play for the Texans and Cardinals. He deserves to compete for a Super Bowl somewhere. Just maybe don't go to Buffalo or KC, DeAndre.
How about the Lions? Hopkins, Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown would rival Cincinnati's Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd as the NFL's best receiving triumvirate.
Twitter @MattFitz_gerald/TikTok