DeAndre Hopkins Trade Rumors: Cardinals Gave Teams Permission to Talk to WR's Agent

As they look to potentially part ways with DeAndre Hopkins, the Arizona Cardinals have allowed teams around the league to talk with the star wide receiver's agents, according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. The team granted permission in the hopes of facilitating some sort of deal to move him.

The organization had an initial price of a second-round pick and another piece in exchange for Hopkins but has yet to find any takers. Breer noted that teams interested in the five-time Pro Bowler are waiting for the price to go down a bit, especially after Brandin Cooks was traded to the Cowboys for a fifth- and sixth-round pick earlier this month.

When Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon was asked about Hopkins' status with the team at the Annual League Meeting on Sunday, he said, "I'm operating that he's a Cardinal right now."

In addition to the fairly high asking price, a potential deterrent for interested teams is Hopkins' massive salary for the upcoming season. He is set to have a $19.5 million base salary in 2023 and will carry a $30.8 million cap hit for Arizona, per Spotrac.

As Breer mentioned, if the Cardinals pick up a piece of that salary, it could potentially make a deal for Hopkins more enticing.

Several reports have mentioned the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs as being among the teams interested in the former All-Pro.

Hopkins, 30, has been one of the most productive receivers in the league over the past nine seasons, showing the ability to put up gaudy numbers even when his team's quarterback situation is less than ideal.

Even in a season when he was limited to just nine games due to suspension and starting quarterback Kyler Murray missed the last four games of the year due to injury, Hopkins still managed to lead the team in receiving yards with 717 and finished second in receiving touchdowns with three in 2022.

He's spent the last three seasons in Arizona after being traded from the Texans in 2020.