The Arizona Cardinals released wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins yesterday, eating a sizeable cap hit in the process. But apparently, there were some trade talks that had happened before they made the decision to cut him.
According to Sports Illustrated NFL insider Albert Breer, both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills spoke to the Cardinals about acquiring him in what he described as “substantive trade talks.”
However, deals with both teams fell through for essentially the same reason: The contract.
Per the report, Kansas City were the closest to making progress before the Baltimore Ravens managed to sign Odell Beckham Jr. for just $15 million. After that happened, they were reportedly unwilling to take on Hopkins at his current contract.
🏈 More on @DeAndreHopkins 🏈
• The Chiefs and Bills were the only teams to have substantive trade talks with Arizona.
• As was the case with Kansas City, contract was the issue for Buffalo.
• KC made progress, but @OBJ‘s deal ($15M base) more or less blew that progress up.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) May 27, 2023
However, the metrics for both the Chiefs and Bills could change now that Hopkins is a free agent. Either one can now sign him without even having to give up any draft capital or contributing players.
While the price might wind up being about the same, the teams can now negotiate with him directly rather than with the Cardinals.
Will DeAndre Hopkins wind up signing with either of those teams? Where do you think he’ll play in 2023?