Cardinals' Jonathan Gannon on DeAndre Hopkins Trade: I Want 'Best for Him and Us'

Trade rumors have swirled around Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins for much of the offseason, though new head coach Jonathan Gannon isn't ruling out a return.

"We'll see," he told reporters when asked if he expected to see Hopkins in attendance during April's offseason strength and conditioning program. "I've been in communication with D-Hop. I want to do what's best for him and us at the same time. When he's ready to come, he'll come and improve his game, too."

Hopkins posted a workout on Instagram Live on Tuesday while the Cardinals were undergoing the voluntary portion of their strength and conditioning program, per ESPN's Josh Weinfuss.

The veteran wideout's $30.75 million cap seemingly is the impetus for the growing trade rumors, with Weinfuss reporting that the Cardinals have granted Hopkins permission to seek a trade.

He added that a trade "would save the Cardinals $8.15 million in cap space but would leave Arizona with $22.6 million in dead money. However, either releasing Hopkins after June 1 or releasing him before that and designating him as a post-June 1 release would save the Cardinals $19.45 million in cap space."

The 30-year-old will be a major loss regardless if he departs. In just nine games last season because of suspension and injury, he still caught 64 passes for 717 yards and three touchdowns. Before the 2021 season, he had registered 1,000 or more receiving yards in six of seven campaigns, double-digit touchdowns three times and 100 or more receptions four times.

The five-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro selection has battled injuries in each of the last two seasons and was suspended for the first six games of last year for violating the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy, limiting his production. When available, however, he remains one of the better weapons in football at the receiver position.

As the NFL draft approaches in a little over two weeks, it wouldn't be shocking if the Hopkins trade chatter starts heating up. He'll be a candidate to be moved on draft night if he isn't before then, as the Cardinals look to retool the roster around fifth-year quarterback Kyler Murray.