DeAndre Hopkins Trade Rumors: Cardinals WR's Contract a Sticking Point in Talks

The Arizona Cardinals have reportedly given rival teams permission to speak with DeAndre Hopkins ahead of a potential trade, but his contract presents a hurdle in any negotiations, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Fowler said Saturday on SportsCenter that Hopkins "is largely expected to be on the move, either via trade or release."

"Teams I've talked to believe the Cardinals haven't really been willing to pay the salary," he reported. "He has $19.5 million on the books. That's a little rich for some of the receiver-needy teams out there."

Fowler added the interest in the three-time All-Pro could intensify if his salary and the draft compensation required in a trade come down.

Hopkins' arrival in 2020 symbolized the organization's lofty ambitions. The front office wanted to not just reach the playoffs but make a run at a Super Bowl.

Now, Arizona is in a clear transitional phase with a new head coach (Jonathan Gannon) and general manager (Monti Ossenfort) in charge. Starting quarterback Kyler Murray will miss some portion of the 2023 season as well due to the torn ACL he suffered in December.

To that end, Hopkins doesn't really fit with the Cardinals' short-term timeline, and the 30-year-old might welcome a change of scenery that puts him closer to postseason contention.

Fowler reported in March the Cardinals were holding out for "hefty compensation," which equated to a "premium" Day 2 2023 draft pick and more.

Hopkins caught 64 passes for 717 yards and three touchdowns in nine games in 2022. He served a six-game suspension for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy and battled a knee injury toward the end of the year.

When healthy, he still appears to be capable of performing at a high level, but age and injuries will undoubtedly be concerns for other teams.

As Fowler noted, Hopkins' contract presents another obstacle, and interested suitors might be willing to play hardball with Arizona.

The Cardinals can save $8.2 million (with $22.6 million in dead money) by cutting him before June 1. The dead money will be spread evenly across 2023 and 2024, with $19.5 million in salary cap savings by designating him as a post-June 1 cut.

If push came to shove, surely Ossenfort would opt for one of those paths instead of carrying an aging receiver with a $30.8 million cap hit into the season.