DeAndre Hopkins Traded to Cardinals from Texans in David Johnson Deal

The Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans officially agreed to a blockbuster trade Friday that will send All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to Arizona and running back David Johnson to Houston.

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle first reported the trade on March 16.

To put it mildly, this trade is a stunner. While ESPN's Adam Schefter noted that Hopkins wants a new contract, there was seemingly nothing stopping the Texans from providing one—or any reason why they would not want to.

Hopkins made the Pro Bowl and was a first-team All-Pro selection in each of the last three seasons. He is the only receiver who can make that claim. He recorded 104 receptions for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019, his second straight 100-reception campaign.

At age 27, Hopkins is still firmly in his prime and has missed two total games in his entire career. Given the compensation level—a second-round pick, a fourth-round pick and an overpaid running back who was third on the depth chart at times last season—it's borderline impossible to find a win here for the Texans.

The New York Giants were able to get far better compensation a year ago from the Cleveland Browns for Odell Beckham Jr. despite him coming off an injury-plagued 2018 and having a fractured relationship with the organization. No such fissures or injury history exists with Hopkins. That the Texans failed to receive even one first-round pick in exchange for arguably the best player on their roster is a failing of management.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, hit a home run with a no-brainer trade. Schefter noted that the Texans are assuming all of Johnson's salary—a number so prohibitive it made cutting him "not an option" for general manager Steve Keim.

Johnson will make $10.2 million in base salary next season and will have the fourth-highest cash total of any running back. Keep in mind that Johnson rushed for just 345 yards last season, hasn't topped four yards per carry since 2016, and the Cardinals benched him in favor of Kenyan Drake. Johnson didn't receive more than five carries in a game after Oct. 13 last season.

Perhaps there will be further context provided in the coming days, but this appears to be an all-time NFL head-scratcher.