The Arizona Cardinals have wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins back from a six-game suspension and he will make his debut Thursday night against the New Orleans Saints.
Having his return on a short week means he will not have had any full-speed practices before playing for the first time and coach Kliff Kingsbury has said for weeks that he did not know how much to expect Hopkins to be able to do or play in that first game.
Hopkins doesn’t think he needs any limits.
Kingsbury was asked on Monday whether Hopkins would need to have his snap count limited.
“He says not, so we’ll see,” Kingsbury answered. “We’ll see how he’s going, but I know he’s anxious. He was up here today asking for the game plan and excited to get out there.”
Hopkins spoke to reporters Tuesday and reiterated that.
“I know I could (play like a regular game),” he said. “I’ve always been a guy who was always in the game in the fourth quarter. I’ve never been a receiver that comes out or taps to come out. I don’t see that happening anytime soon.”
He said that it is impossible to simulate an NFL game outside of an actual game. However, over the last several weeks, he has worked out at EXOS and simulated the amount of running and type of running he would typically get in practices during the week.
His presence on the field in practice and in the locker room has been a boost for the team.
Hopkins typically is on the field for almost every snap in a game. Expect him to be out there perhaps a little less than that, but it sounds like he expects to be a big part of what they do this week.
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