Ravens Trade Reveal? DeAndre Hopkins Would 'Be Honored' to Play with Lamar Jackson
In this story:
Arizona Cardinals wideout DeAndre Hopkins is on the trade block, sort of.
Arizona Cardinals wideout DeAndre Hopkins is saying he'd like to be dealt to the Baltimore Ravens, sort of.
During a recent appearance on the I AM ATHLETE podcast, Hopkins was asked about which quarterback he'd love to join up with. The All-Pro listed five names: The Bills' Josh Allen, the Eagles' Jalen Hurts, the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, the Chargers' Justin Herbert and the Ravens' Lamar Jackson got the top-five nod.
He obviously had praise for all, and it's important to remember that he neither has trade-veto power (so he doesn't necessarily get to choose his destination) nor has he come out and demanded an exit from the desert.
It's just a "thing'' that's been dangling out there all offseason. But what he said specifically about Lamar Jackson is newsworthy.
"I love Lamar Jackson,'' he said. "Lamar Jackson's one of my favorite athletes since I've been watching sports. I'm a sports fan, so I was watching Lamar when he played Clemson ... and I was like, 'Who is this kid?' I've been a fan of Lamar for a long time. Obviously, he's one of the greats. I would be lying to sit here and say it wouldn't be an honor one day, if my career allows me to play that long, to play with a great guy and a great quarterback like Lamar."
New Arizona general manager Monti Ossenfort has repeatedly said he does not wish to trade Hopkins, who at 30 is still a difference-maker. But the Cardinals may be about to undertake a massive rebuild. And when Hopkins was asked what he would wish for from the Cardinals?
"What I want,'' he said, rattling off a list, "is stable management upstairs. ... That's something that I haven't really had the past couple years of my career ... A QB who loves the game ... And a great defense. I think defense wins championships.''
How many NFL clubs truly offer both those things and a suspected interest in dealing for Hopkins? Baltimore would figure as one of them. And Baltimore now figures on what Hopkins might want, too.
