Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort to meet with DeAndre Hopkins about future, per report

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Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort has been at his job for less than a week, and on his itinerary is finding common ground with the organization’s star playmaker.

Ossenfort and DeAndre Hopkins are going to sit down and discuss the receiver’s future with the franchise, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Saturday.

Rapoport noted that other teams inquired about Hopkins’ availability during the last trade deadline, but the Cardinals held firm.

The @NFLGameDay Notebook with @MikeGarafolo and @TomPelissero: The future of DeAndre Hopkins should clear up soon; #Ravens QB Lamar Jackson will be as involved as he wants in the OC hire; Dan Quinn’s coaching candidacy is picking up; #Packers QB Jordan Love just wants to play. pic.twitter.com/bklsHyPHUA

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 21, 2023

Hopkins — who led the team in receiving yards with 717 in only nine games in 2022 — is signed through the 2024 season and has a full no-trade clause, so he has control on where he plays next year.

The 30-year-old has a $30,750,000 cap hit in 2023 and $26,215,000 in 2024. Trading him before June 1 would lead to $22,600,000 in dead cap money, according to Over The Cap. Arizona could save more by dealing Hopkins after June 1, but it would lose a chance to acquire 2023 draft assets.

The Cardinals are at a crossroads with the roster, as quarterback Kyler Murray may miss the start of next season while rehabbing after knee surgery and a multitude of starters are hitting the free agent market.

Arizona also has the No. 3 overall pick and the 12th most cap space entering the offseason, according to Spotrac, so there is opportunity to alter the look of the team dramatically. There is also the business of hiring a head coach.

Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said during Ossenfort’s introductory press conference that evaluating Hopkins’ future is on the list of the GM’s priorities.

Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reported on Tuesday that Hopkins’ preferred destinations if traded would be to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers.

Yeah @DeAndreHopkins is BACK.

📺: #AZvsMIN on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/Tc7CqisiVw pic.twitter.com/9UQJmxSE8U

— NFL (@NFL) October 30, 2022

Hopkins is a three-time All-Pro who broke the Cardinals’ single-season catches record in 2020 with 115 — his first year in the desert.

Injuries and a six-game PED suspension limited him to 19 games over the past two seasons, but he continued to get open and make plays when available in 2022 with three games of at least 10 receptions.

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