One of the most expected releases of this NFL offseason just became official. The Arizona Cardinals are releasing WR DeAndre Hopkins after three seasons with the franchise. He played only nine games last year and was limited to 64 catches, 717 yards and three touchdowns. Besides that, he suffered two fumbles, losing one of them.
This was not even close to his first season with the Cardinals, in 2020. He had a franchise record of 115 catches and 1,407 yards, with six touchdowns. But after that, in the two next seasons, he was not even a shadow of the good player he is.
Now the Cardinals are cutting him and saving $19.45 million in cash against the salary cap. Hopkins is almost 31 years old and shouldn’t have a hard time finding a new landing spot. But he will have for sure to lower his expectations. Probably he won’t be able to find a team willing to pay anything near to his precious contract of $54.5 million.
The question now is where DeAndre Hopkins is going to play next season. According to bookies.com, these are the odds of some teams end up landing him:
- Kansas City Chiefs +300
- Carolina Panthers +550
- Chicago Bears +550
- Detroit Lions +750
- New England Patriots +1200
- Buffalo Bills +1500
DeAndre Hopkins
Drafted in 2013 by the Houston Texans, with the no. 27 overall pick in the first round, coming from Clemson University, Hopkins is entering his 11th season now. After seven years with the Texans and three with the Cardinals, he has become one of the best WRs in the league.
Among his individual achievements, he has made it three times to the first-team All-Pro (2017, 2018, 2019), twice to the second-team All-Pro (2015 and 2020), five times to the Pro Bowl (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) and he was the league receiving TDs leader in 2017, with 13. In 10 years so far he has 145 games, 853 catches, 11,298 yards and 71 touchdowns.
