Bidwill: DeAndre Hopkins’ future with Cardinals will be evaluated

Determining the next Arizona Cardinals head coach sits atop new general manager Monti Ossenfort’s priorities, but the pressing matters don’t stop there.

Reevaluating the football operations department, hiring any new bodies there and training the staff to think in his terms will be a task that could border on complete rebuild. The staff will be charged with hitting the ground running for the pre-draft bowl games in early February.

Then there’s the Cardinals roster at hand.

Among the biggest questions is receiver DeAndre Hopkins, whose status as a Cardinal could be in limbo. Getting off that contract could be a significant move toward helping Arizona’s cap situation and ability to rebuild quickly if he’s traded for draft compensation.

During Ossenfort’s introductory press conference Tuesday, Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill did not deny that Hopkins’ future is more complicated than playing out his current deal, which runs through 2024.

“We talked about a number of things,” the owner said of how Ossenfort and he view Hopkins’ deal. “Those are some of the things (Ossenfort is) going to be evaluating. As he said, he’s only been in the building for a few hours, he doesn’t know his way around (after being hired Monday).

“So I think he’ll be working on that in the coming weeks and I’m sure we’ll talk about that more.”

Hopkins being traded before or on June 1 would change the dead cap value from $33.9 million to $22.6 million in 2023. Trading the receiver after June 1 would provide more savings but obviously not help Arizona gain assets for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Hopkins, a five-time Pro Bowler, will play the 2023 season as a 31-year-old.

He saw knee injuries and a PED suspension limit him to 10 and nine games in the past two years, respectively.

When Hopkins was healthy, though, he put up 1,407 yards and six touchdowns as quarterback Kyler Murray’s go-to guy in 2020.

Hopkins piled up 717 yards and 64 receptions in just nine games this past year despite a six-game suspension to start. Hopkins sat out the last two games with a knee injury.

The Score’s Jordan Schultz reported last week that Arizona planned to trade Hopkins, though that was before the team officially hired Ossenfort as GM to replace Steve Keim.

Hopkins reportedly has a no-trade clause in his contract.

Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reported Tuesday that Hopkins prefers to be traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers (clip below at the 4:40 mark).

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