DeAndre Hopkins Unlikely to Be Traded During NFL Draft amid Rumors, Cardinals GM Says

It seems like DeAndre Hopkins will still be a member of the Arizona Cardinals at the end of the 2023 NFL draft.

"I don't foresee that happening," general manager Monti Ossenfort said of a potential trade, per Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. "I don't know what is going to happen here in the next couple days. Right now, I don't foresee that happening, no."

That's not to say the Cardinals weren't busy.

As Weinfuss noted, they started Thursday with the No. 3 pick of the first round and then traded it along with the 105th selection to the Houston Texans for the 12th and 33rd picks this year, plus a first-rounder and third-rounder next year.

Then they traded the 12th, 34th and 168th picks to the Detroit Lions for the Nos. 6 and 81 picks. That is when Arizona selected Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. with the sixth selection.

It was solid maneuvering, and the team still ended up with an offensive tackle who could anchor the line for years to come.

As for Hopkins, a trade wouldn't be a surprise at some point this offseason. For one, he has a $30.75 million cap hit in 2023, which is quite pricey for a team that may not realistically be in a position to compete in a difficult division with quarterback Kyler Murray expected to miss some time as he recovers from a torn ACL.

Trading the 30-year-old could also net significant assets that could help with the rebuild down the line and free him up to play on a contender.

He has already been linked to the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills and could put either one of them over the top in a crowded AFC race.

Yet Arizona said it is likely holding onto him for now, although publicly saying anything else could also impact its leverage in any ongoing discussions. Don't be surprised if a trade does eventually happen, but it might not become a reality until later in the offseason.