Revisiting the DeAndre Hopkins trade, and giving thanks for Bill O’Brien

The Arizona Cardinals best trade of all-time was for DeAndre Hopkins.

Back before the world got crazy with COVID-19 in 2020, no one thought that in their wildest dreams that the Houston Texans were ever going to let go of DeAndre Hopkins, who was well on his way to becoming Andre Johnson 2.0.

But thanks to everyone’s favorite Texans coach/GM/oddball, Bill O’Brien, the Cardinals got an absolute weapon in Hopkins. So much that it’s given the Cardinals the “Hail Murray” and it helped end a five-year playoff drought (even though that game royally stunk).

Hopkins was traded to Houston for the following:

The Arizona Cardinals pulled off the greatest “wide receiver robbery” of all time with the DeAndre Hopkins trade

The trade basically only cost Arizona a second-round pick, and the 4th-rounder they received became Rashard Lawrence who hasn’t impressed or failed so far. To get a Hall of Fame receiver in a Hopkins for a fourth-round pick is insane.

If Steve Keim can win a Super Bowl with Hopkins, then he’s got a better chance to get in as well if his drafting improves. For Houston, those picks became Ross Blacklock (DT) and John Reid (CB). Blacklock is a rotational player, and Reid is a lower-depth corner.

Johnson had a decent 2020 thanks to Deshaun Watson, but when 2021 rolled around, Johnson just couldn’t get anything done (nor could Houston) as the team went 4-13 and placed last in the league in rushing yards.

Revisiting this trade two years later, there is no doubt that the Arizona Cardinals won this transaction. While Hopkins did get suspended and that’s never a good thing, there’s no doubt in my mind that all Cardinals fans would make this trade 100 percent of the time.

Thank you, Bill O’Brien!