What happens with DeAndre Hopkins this offseason remains an unknown.
That was acknowledged by new Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon at the Scouting combine when he acknowledged "I'm not sure" when asked if the wide receiver was going to be on the roster in 2023.
Hopkins wasn't giving many details himself on Wednesday when he made an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show," but he also sounded like a player who was expecting a potential trade that has only grown in speculation over the last few weeks.
"I would love to give you as much information as I can, but right now, we have just been keeping our head down," Hopkins said. "Obviously we are paying attention to the headlines and tabloids, because you've got to. When you hear some of those trade rumors, you would hate to think that all of those things are lies. I've been traded before and heard speculation about it and kind of shooed it off and I was like, 'Nah, the Texans would never trade me.' Next thing you know, here I am with the Cardinals.
"We keep close attention to the tabloids, but we don't put anything out in the tabloids ourselves."
"We" includes Hopkins and an unnamed agent. Hopkins famously did his last contract with the Cardinals without an agent, and Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort noted that his recent conversation with Hopkins included his representation.
Hiring an agent "is going to help me not get the short end of the stick," Hopkins said, adding that he wanted to be patient so "it pays off in the next couple of years."
"Hopefully we will get the results that we want," Hopkins said.
Hopkins' contract has two more seasons, although there is no guaranteed money. He is scheduled to make $19.5 million this season in salary and $14.9M in 2024. He has a salary cap number of $30.75M this season, although if he were to be traded the dead cap hit would be $22.6M.
Last season, Hopkins played in nine games, sitting out the first six because of a league suspension for performance enhancing drugs. He missed the last two with a knee injury, collecting 64 receptions for 717 yards and three touchdowns.
"He's an outstanding talent, a generational talent," said new Cardinals passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach Drew Terrell. "If I had the opportunity to coach Hop, I'm going to do what I can to serve him and help him grow. If we get that opportunity, we get that opportunity. We'll coach the guys that are in the room the best way we can."
Hopkins said the highlight of his career with the Cardinals was when the team started 7-0, although he noted the team wasn't able to finish strong and it probably wasn't a coincidence that he was hurt during the slide.
"I felt like I gave the organization a chance to prove themselves after I got hurt, obviously we didn't finish, but that right there showed, whatever they traded for me for, it was worth it," Hopkins said.
Whether there is another trade, Hopkins said he'll wait and see.
"I've been hearing a lot of trade talk," Hopkins said. "I take things day by day. I don't look forward to the future, I live in the present moment. Right now the Arizona Cardinals are the team and the roster I'm on, and I am preparing myself for whatever the future holds. I don't really look forward to the future. I let (the media) do the talking."
