Arizona Cardinals: Monti Ossenfort correct to keep asking price high for Hopkins
By Sion Fawkes
The Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort seems to be unwilling to budge on his price for DeAndre Hopkins, and he is correct in not doing so.
Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Arizona Cardinals aren’t looking to budge on their asking price regarding DeAndre Hopkins. Nor should they, as opposed to what most of the NFL universe believes.
While it’s true that receivers have gone for less compensation, like Amari Cooper and Brandin Cooks, neither player has been a game-changer like Hopkins. Though they are younger players and have played in more overall games than Hopkins has over the past two seasons, the 10-year veteran collectively made the Cardinals a better team when he was in the lineup as opposed to when he missed time.
In 2021, when Hopkins struggled with injuries, the Cardinals collapsed following a 7-0 start. This past season, Arizona stumbled to a 2-4 start to the season with a (nearly) inept offense. Upon Hopkins’ return in Week 7, the Redbirds had put up their best offensive performance of the season at the time. That’s certainly no coincidence.
Arizona Cardinals general manager correct in current ultimatum
The only way the Cardinals lose out on this trade is if they send Hopkins elsewhere for anything less than a second-round pick. If no one wants to trade for Hopkins, then he’ll return to the desert and the Cards have another WR1 to lineup alongside the likes of Marquise Brown, Trey McBride (TE), Greg Dortch, Rondale Moore, and Zach Pascal.
Hopkins would augment a unit that could surprisingly be one of the NFL’s best. Brown filled in as a WR1 on multiple occasions in 2022 and played well. Dortch played better than anyone in league circles would have thought, and McBride finished the season strong.
Overall, Hopkins still carries more value than the league’s general managers, sans Ossenfort, give him credit for. Ossenfort is the only executive, at the moment anyway, who understands this, and it’s shown with Hopkins’ presence, and lack thereof, over the previous two seasons.
That said, Ossenfort is correct to give NFL teams what could be an ultimatum regarding Hopkins. And if he keeps the price high, he remains in control over the situation.
Must Read. Cardinals can add plenty of talent on third day of draft. dark
Source: Report: Cardinals may want ‘Christian McCaffrey package’ for DeAndre Hopkins by Wills Rice, ArizonaSports.com