Arizona Cardinals ’ new head coach, Jonathan Gannon, has broken his silence on wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins’ future amid links with a trade away.
The expectation was that the 30-year-old will be traded before the start of the 2023 season, however it’s looking increasingly likely that the Cardinals will not get the price they were hoping for following Brandin Cooks’ move to the Dallas Cowboys from the Houston Texans for a couple of late round draft picks.
And now, head coach Gannon has told Steve Wyche of NFL Network that he’s thinking about coaching Hopkins - not trading him ahead of the 2023 season.
Gannon, who played down reports of a Hopkins exit during the Scouting Combine, said of his wide-out: “I’m operating that he’s a Cardinal right now. So, I’m looking forward to getting in the meeting room and on the field with him and seeing where it can go.
“I just know he’s an elite player. Being a defensive guy, I had to go up against him a couple times in the division. The challenges that he presents. I’m excited to get to work with him.”
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, appearing on NFL Live, the Cardinals are firm on getting “a Christian McCaffrey package”. That would be a second-round pick and more - “something big.”
The ESPN reporter says there is a deal to be done, but the Cardinals “will have to come off their asking price”. As many as five teams are supposedly interested in trading for Hopkins.
Former NFL cornerback Pacman Jones and friend of Hopkins’, spilled the beans on The Pat McAfee Show last week. The five are believed to be the Atlanta Falcons, who Jones says “need wide receivers”, the Baltimore Ravens, the Buffalo Bills, the Las Vegas Raiders and the New England Patriots. “Patriots fans should get excited,” Jones said. They have the 46th pick and the 76th picks in the draft.
Hopkins only played in nine games last season due to suspension and injury. He still had 64 catches for 717 yards and three touchdowns.
