DeAndre Hopkins Says Patriots, Bills Pursued Trade Amid Cardinals Rumors

Arizona Cardinals star DeAndre Hopkins knows of at least two teams that have pursued a possible trade for him.

The five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver said Monday on I AM ATHLETE that he "heard a lot of rumors of people calling." He knew of interest from the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills.

"I didn't have direct conversations, but just seeing what's on Twitter, what's on Instagram, you gotta pay attention to some of those things," he said. "Really, those are the only two teams that I paid attention to that I was like, 'All right, let me see if social media is right'."

Hopkins also mentioned "stable management," a quarterback who "loves the game" and a great defense as three things he's looking for in his career.

Hopkins has two years left on his contract and is set to count for $30.8 million against the salary cap in 2023. With the Cardinals hitting the reset button, he has been the subject of trade speculation throughout the offseason.

Both the Bills and Patriots would be logical landing spots for Hopkins.

Buffalo is gunning for a Super Bowl, and adding a pass-catcher with his track record aligns with that aim. Imagine an aerial attack that includes him, Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis.

New England, meanwhile, has a more pressing need since neither JuJu Smith-Schuster nor DeVante Parker is probably a viable No. 1 option at this point in their careers.

Between the two, Hopkins has made his preference relatively clear without stating it directly.

CBS Sports' Bryant McFadden floated a few possible destinations past the 30-year-old in March and asked him to react each one without saying anything. He looked off camera when New England came up. On the other hand, his excitement level rose when Buffalo was mentioned.

During Monday's interview (via Sporting News), Hopkins proceeded to list Bills star Josh Allen among the quarterbacks he'd most want to play with as well. He said Allen reminds him of four-time Pro Bowl QB Andrew Luck.

Buffalo checks off the boxes for what Hopkins broadly wants from the team he's playing on as well.

"What I want is stable management upstairs, that's something I haven't really had the past couple years of my career coming from Houston and then to Arizona," he said (via Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site). "A QB who loves the game, a QB who brings everybody on board with him, not just himself but everybody around him ... and a great defense. A great defense wins championships."

Buffalo has strong continuity with general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott. Allen is not only an elite quarterback but also one who's built strong relationships with his teammates. And the Bills finished fourth in defensive efficiency, per Football Outsiders, for good measure.

Unfortunately for Hopkins, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported last Friday the teams he had spoken with "believe a deal with Arizona is stagnant." He cited the incentive-laden deal Odell Beckham Jr. got from the Baltimore Ravens as one possible factor.

Since Beckham received $13.9 million guaranteed and can earn up to $18 million, Hopkins may not be willing to take the kind of pay cut that could accelerate trade negotiations.