Cardinals Projected to Trade DeAndre Hopkins to Bills During NFL Draft
The future of Arizona Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins still has plenty of question marks, though it seems as if he won't be playing for the organization in 2023.
The Cardinals first put Hopkins on the trade block back in January and despite a handful of interested teams, Arizona has yet to find a suitable trade package for their All-Pro receiver.
Whether the team will receive something "fair" or close to their reported asking price of a second-round pick and something else of value, the Cardinals are entering another window of opportunity to offload Hopkins during the 2023 NFL Draft.
PFF's Brad Spielberger laid out the framework for a deal between the Cardinals and Buffalo Bills, a team that has been connected with Hopkins for some time now.
Cardinals Projected to Trade DeAndre Hopkins to Bills During NFL Draft
BILLS RECEIVE: WR DeAndre Hopkins
CARDINALS RECEIVE: 2023 third-round pick, 2024 sixth-round pick
"Hopkins will need to rework his current contract like Brandin Cooks did before moving across Texas from the Houston Texans to the Dallas Cowboys, reducing his $19.45 million 2023 salary from a cap and potentially cash standpoint," said Spielberger.
"Buffalo is sitting at No. 27 overall and may not be able to add any true difference-makers in the 2023 draft, and the Bills have come up short in the playoffs a few years in a row now. They will very likely not be interested in extending Hopkins, but his addition may also add leverage and buy them time in extension talks with wide receiver Gabriel Davis.
"NFL media’s Ian Rapoport mentioned on the Pat McAfee show that he believes Hopkins may ultimately be traded before the draft kicks off, but if not, he’s the top name to monitor throughout the weekend.
"Hopkins tweeted and then deleted that he was not looking for a new contract. If true, Arizona should be able to get a decent return here — around a third-round pick — especially if the Cardinals are willing to retain some of Hopkins’ $19.45 million 2023 salary.
"Hopkins has missed time the past few seasons due to injuries and a suspension but is still one of the more reliable receivers across the NFL. Over the last three seasons, Hopkins' 88.6 receiving grade ranks 10th among wide receivers while his 1.7% drop rate is the third-lowest mark and he's still top 15 in yards per route run over the span. From Weeks 7-16 in 2022 when he did play, Hopkins was third in targets (93) and fourth in receptions (64) among wide receivers."
Could the two sides strike a deal during the draft? It feels as if the best time for Arizona to offload Hopkins might be over the weekend when teams feel like they can't walk away from the draft without a stud receiver.
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