Cardinals’ Jonathan Gannon ‘not worried’ with OTAs no-shows of DeAndre Hopkins, Budda Baker

TEMPE — They call them voluntary for a reason.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and safety Budda Baker were not among those in attendance for the team’s kick off of organized team activities on Monday.

And that’s alright in first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon’s eyes.

“I’m not worried about Hop. He’s played a long time and he’s extremely intelligent and I think he’ll fit right in when he decides to come,” Gannon said Monday. “Again, it’s voluntary. That’s his decision and we’re behind it.

“I think Budda will show up when he wants to show up,” the head coach added. “He’s been awesome. He kind of wears us out a little bit with the tape and different things like that. But he’s working and he’ll get himself ready to play.”

“I think Budda will show up when he wants to show up,” – #AZCardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon on safety Budda Baker. pic.twitter.com/pHiHNCIxK5

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) May 22, 2023

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that either weren’t in attendance given the trade chatter surrounding both this offseason.

It’s easy to see why Hopkins’ name has swirled in the trade winds this offseason thanks to where the Cardinals currently sit in their rebuild and the massive cap hit the wideout brings to the table.

Baker, however, recently entered the chat after it was unearthed that he wanted a new deal that would make him the highest-paid safety in the league or get dealt elsewhere.

But while the duo was nowhere to be found on Arizona’s practice fields on Monday, that’s not to say they aren’t getting some sort of work in on their own as Gannon mentioned.

Hopkins isn’t even in the same country, currently working on getting his body examined in Toronto in an effort to help prolong his playing career, wherever that might be.

That’s not to say he hasn’t been working out in Arizona, either, with social media posts showing as much this offseason.

Baker on the other hand has been on a tear getting his body right for the upcoming season.

They were far from the only ones not in attendance, too, with offensive linemen Kelvin Beachum and Hjalte Froholdt not in attendance.

BJ Ojulari, who is the only rookie yet to sign a contract, was seen working off to the side.

The same goes for quarterback Kyler Murray (ACL), Garrett Williams (ACL) and D.J. Humphries (back), who all are coming off injuries in 2022.

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