5 NFL Draft-Day Trade Packages to Acquire WR DeAndre Hopkins
We've heard about DeAndre Hopkins trade rumors for months. Yet the three-time All-Pro wide receiver is still on the Arizona Cardinals roster within a week of the 2023 NFL draft.
In January, Jordan Schultz of The Score reported that the Cardinals planned to trade Hopkins. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, potential trade suitors ramped up talks with Arizona after the Houston Texans dealt wideout Brandin Cooks to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2023 fifth-rounder and a 2024 sixth-rounder.
The Cardinals haven't been able to find a deal that satisfies their initial demands, though. Per the MMQB's Albert Breer, clubs want Arizona to drop its compensation price for the wideout.
"The Cardinals' initial ask, to get a second-rounder and another asset for Hopkins, seems to have fallen flat, and there are teams waiting to see the price come down in the wake of the Brandin Cooks trade. To try to facilitate something, I'm told Arizona has granted teams permission to talk to Hopkins and his agents. But the combination of his age, injury history and friction with the teams he's played for has made him a tougher sell than I think the Cardinals anticipated."
About a week later, Breer shared a thought from around the league that the Cardinals may outright release Hopkins, which means interested clubs can hold on to draft capital and court the accomplished receiver on the open market.
Over the past week, Hopkins tweeted that he doesn't want a raise, but he deleted the tweet. While Hopkins may actually want a salary bump, the Cardinals wideout appeared on the Pat McAfee Show in March and said (h/t Rapoport) that he would be "flexible" on the final two years of his contract.
Perhaps general managers want to see who they're able to draft in an average class of wide receivers before making a strong push for Hopkins.
Like last year, we could see a blockbuster trade for a wideout during the first round of the draft. The Philadelphia Eagles acquired A.J. Brown from the Tennessee Titans, and the deal worked out for them. He posted career highs in catches (88) and receiving yards (1,496) while quarterback Jalen Hurts became an MVP candidate.
Playoff contenders with a need at wide receiver should keep tabs on Hopkins' trade-market value. Also, the Cardinals may be willing to include him in a package deal with the No. 3 overall pick.
With that said, we've narrowed down Arizona's potential trade partners to five teams based on roster need, schematic fit and draft circumstances. Which proposal should the Cardinals take? You be the judge.
Bills Aim to Field Best Wide Receiver Duo in 2023
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Arizona Cardinals receive: DT Ed Oliver, 2023 third-round pick (No. 91 overall)
Buffalo Bills receive: WR DeAndre Hopkins
The Bills have been linked to Hopkins for weeks.
According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, the Bills "headline" Hopkins' trade market.
Apparently, the Bills and Hopkins have mutual interest. Von Miller told reporters that the 30-year-old wideout would like to play in Buffalo.
"You just never know until you know. Hop said he wanted to be a Buffalo Bill and you never know until you get that DeAndre Hopkins signature on a contract. I'm not sure what the circumstances are or what's going on with that, but I would love to see DeAndre Hopkins be here and I would love to have his skill set on our offense with Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs and Dawson Knox and Gabe Davis. How could we lose with those guys?"
The Bills may be willing to make a move for Hopkins during the draft if they're not heavily sold on the available top wideouts while on the clock at 27. Though Stefon Diggs has blossomed into a star, Gabe Davis' contract will expire at the end of the 2023 campaign.
As 1A and 1B receivers in the Bills offense, Diggs and Hopkins would tear through pass defenses all year, making a claim for the league's top receiver tandem. Quarterback Josh Allen could post record-breaking passing numbers with that pair at wideout.
To acquire Hopkins, the Bills should offer a third-round pick in the upcoming draft along with Oliver. As a top-10 pick from the 2019 draft, he's recorded underwhelming numbers, with 14.5 total sacks and no more than 18 pressures in any of his seasons, per Pro Football Reference.
Perhaps Oliver needs a change of scenery to reach his full potential. Arizona must restock talent along the defensive line following J.J. Watt's retirement and the loss of Zach Allen in free agency. The Bills and Cardinals could address each other's needs with a draft-day swap.
Chiefs Land No. 1 Wide Receiver to Complement Travis Kelce
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Arizona Cardinals receive: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, 2023 third-round pick (No. 95 overall)
Kansas City Chiefs receive: WR DeAndre Hopkins
Via free agency, the Chiefs lost wideouts JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman to the New England Patriots and New York Jets, respectively.
In his first season with the Chiefs, Marquez Valdes-Scantling made big plays, averaging 16.4 yards per catch, but he hasn't recorded more than 42 receptions in any of his five campaigns, going back to his time with the Green Bay Packers.
As tight end Travis Kelce goes into his age-34 term, Kansas City may need its wideouts to do more heavy lifting during the regular season. Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore have upside, but they're still unproven in big roles.
Toney has battled injuries through two seasons—his first was with the New York Giants. He's recorded 55 catches for 591 yards and two touchdowns in 19 games. As a rookie, Moore hauled in 22 passes for 250 yards.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has shown he can rack up big numbers without a star wideout.
Last offseason, the Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, and Mahomes went on to throw for a league-leading 5,250 yards, 41 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in an MVP campaign. With that said, Hopkins could make life easier for the Chiefs signal-caller as Kelce ages into his mid-30s.
Kansas City shouldn't have an issue dealing a third-rounder and Edwards-Helaire, who fell out of the running back rotation by the time the team reached Super Bowl LVII.
On the other hand, Arizona could feature Edwards-Helaire as a complement to James Conner in a run-heavy offense while quarterback Kyler Murray recovers from a torn ACL.
Saints Continue to Build Around QB Derek Carr
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Arizona Cardinals receive: CB Bradley Roby, 2023 third-round pick (No. 71 overall)
New Orleans Saints receive: WR DeAndre Hopkins
This offseason, the Saints signed quarterback Derek Carr, and they added or re-signed big-bodied pass-catchers to accommodate him. They can follow that trend with a move for Hopkins.
New Orleans has restructured wideout Michael Thomas' contract, signed wide receiver Bryan Edwards and re-signed tight end Juwan Johnson. All three pass-catchers stand at 6'3" or 6'4" and 212-plus pounds, per the Saints' official website.
On the Cardinals' official website, Hopkins lists at 6'1", 212 pounds, though he plays with a physical style and uses his big strong hands to fend off defenders and haul in passes.
Because of recent injuries, Thomas isn't a reliable pass-catching target. Since 2020, he's played in just 10 games. With Hopkins, Carr would have an accomplished playmaker opposite second-year pro Chris Olave, who had an impressive rookie campaign with 72 catches for 1,042 yards and four touchdowns.
Keep in mind that the league could suspend running back Alvin Kamara for an incident that stems from charges of conspiracy to commit battery and battery resulting in substantial bodily harm. He's set to go on trial July 31.
Though the Saints signed running back Jamaal Williams, they may rely on their passing game with Carr under center. Hopkins, who finished 10th in receiving yards per game (79.7) this past season, would significantly upgrade New Orleans' aerial attack and potentially elevate the Saints in a wide-open NFC South division.
In return for Hopkins, the Cardinals would receive a third-round pick and Roby, who could patch up Arizona's secondary. This past season, he allowed a 54 percent completion rate and a 79.4 passer rating in coverage. Remember, Arizona didn't re-sign cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. in free agency. Safety Budda Baker has requested a trade or wants a new contract, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
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Giants Add Lead Wide Receiver to Help Daniel Jones
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Arizona Cardinals receive: CB Aaron Robinson, 2023 third-round pick (No. 89 overall)
New York Giants receive: WR DeAndre Hopkins
The Giants have invested in Daniel Jones, signing him to a four-year, $160 million contract that includes $105 million in guarantees. They've re-signed Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard and added Parris Campbell and Jamison Crowder to the wide receiver room, but Big Blue doesn't have a clear-cut go-to option in the passing game.
Based on their current pro resumes, Slayton, Shepard, Campbell, Crowder and Wan'Dale Robinson project as No. 2 and No. 3 wide receiver options.
Remember, Shepard and Robinson are recovering from torn ACLs. Crowder hasn't played since Week 4 of the previous campaign because of an ankle injury. Campbell has been plagued by injuries, suiting up for just 32 contests in four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.
Hopkins can handle a high volume of targets in an aerial attack that finished 26th in yards last season, which may help Jones post career numbers as a passer. The Giants signal-caller hasn't topped his 24 passing touchdown total from his 2019 rookie campaign.
In return for Hopkins, the Cardinals can use an additional top-100 pick for their rebuild under a new regime. When healthy, Robinson has shown some flashes, allowing a 58.3 percent completion rate and one touchdown in coverage through 11 games (four starts).
Looking at the Cardinals secondary, with a need at cornerback and safety Budda Baker unhappy, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Robinson is worth a flier as an add-on in a trade deal. He came out of UCF as a third-round pick in 2021.
Titans Reload at Wide Receiver
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Arizona Cardinals receive: 2023 first-rounder (No. 11 overall), 2023 third-rounder (No. 72 overall), 2024 first-rounder, 2025 second-rounder, DL Denico Autry
Tennessee Titans receive: No. 3 overall pick in 2023, WR DeAndre Hopkins
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, six teams have contacted the Cardinals about acquiring the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 draft.
Since the Cardinals have received trade proposals for Hopkins that fell short of their expectations, they can package him in a deal with their first-round pick. Arizona can maximize his trade value if it garners an offer from a team that has needs at quarterback and wide receiver. The Titans fit the bill.
NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah (h/t Buck Reising of A to Z Sports) said he heard the Titans are "exploring" a move up to the No. 3 spot.
Tennessee has quarterback Ryan Tannehill under contract through the 2023 term, but his production has dropped since former Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith took the Atlanta Falcons' head-coaching job. Moreover, coming off an injury-riddled 2022 campaign, Tannehill will turn 35 years in July.
While head coach Mike Vrabel said he expects Tannehill to start for the Titans in 2023, incoming general manager Ran Carthon may still find the team's quarterback of the future early in the draft.
Last offseason, the Titans signed Robert Woods and drafted Treylon Burks with the Philadelphia Eagles' first-round pick from the A.J. Brown trade. In February, the club cut the former, and the latter posted modest receiving numbers in his rookie campaign, hauling in 33 passes for 444 and a touchdown.
Tennessee can address the present and the future with one franchise-altering trade for the No. 3 overall pick and Hopkins.
On the other end, Arizona would get multiple premium picks and Autry, who's registered at least 7.5 sacks, 22 pressures and eight tackles for loss in three consecutive campaigns. He would strengthen a defensive unit that allowed the second-most points in 2022.
While Hopkins may not love a situation with Tannehill and a rookie, he would play for a team that's finished first or second in the AFC South for four consecutive campaigns. Since 2017, Tennessee has only missed the playoffs twice.
As a competitive team in the AFC over the past six years, the Titans may be able to keep Hopkins happy. He would see a lot of targets opposite Burks on the perimeter.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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