DeAndre Hopkins Trade Rumors: Conflicting Reports on Titans, Cardinals and No. 3 Pick

The 2023 NFL draft is just a few hours away, and trade chatter is starting to heat up surrounding the No. 3 overall pick.

The Arizona Cardinals have reportedly held trade discussions with the Tennessee Titans including the No. 3 pick and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in exchange for the No. 11 pick and more, per Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.

However, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that the discussions between Arizona and Tennessee have not included Hopkins.

Hopkins has been included in trade rumors since the end of the 2022 season. The Cardinals are reportedly open to moving him at the right price, although a trade including him and the No. 3 overall pick will likely require a huge haul in return.

Albert Breer of The MMQB reported in late March that the Cards were asking for a second-round pick in exchange for Hopkins. He added that Arizona would likely receive what the Houston Texans raked in for Brandin Cooks, which was a 2023 fifth-round pick and 2024 sixth-round pick.

While Hopkins has missed a significant amount of time over the last two seasons because of injuries and a suspension for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy, he's still one of the best receivers in the league.

During the 2022 campaign, he caught 64 passes for 717 yards and three touchdowns in nine games. He has posted six 1,000-plus-yard receiving seasons over his 10-year NFL career.

After trading star wideout A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason, the Titans could undoubtedly use an upgrade at wide receiver. Treylon Burks, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Kyle Philips are currently Tennessee's top players at the position.

With that said, the main target for Tennessee in this potential trade is the No. 3 pick, which it would likely use to select a quarterback.

Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 in Houston reported Thursday that the Titans were exploring a trade up for the third overall selection, with Ohio State product C.J. Stroud as their target.

The Houston Texans, who own the No. 2 overall pick, have Alabama's Bryce Young ahead of Stroud on their draft board, per Wilson. If the Carolina Panthers select Young at No. 1, the Texans are expected to draft a defensive player, which means Stroud would be available at No. 3.

The Titans still have veteran Ryan Tannehill on their roster, but he's set to become a free agent after the 2023 season, and it's unclear how Tennessee feels about bringing him back in 2024 and beyond after a disappointing 2022 campaign.

Drafting a quarterback would allow the Titans to have that player learn behind Tannehill for a season before potentially taking over as the starter in 2024. It's a smart plan, so it's no surprise the franchise is considering moving up.