Why would the Arizona Cardinals trade DeAndre Hopkins for a cheap price?

Could the Arizona Cardinals end up trading star receiver DeAndre Hopkins for a cheaper than expected price? It’s not that farfetched.

Ideally, the Arizona Cardinals would acquire at least a late first round pick for DeAndre Hopkins from a team like the Buffalo Bills. At worst, they could get a second rounder and a Day Three selection at this year’s draft. 

But there is now talk that Hopkins may go for a much cheaper rate. So what would make general manager Monti Ossenfort give up such talent for so little? 

In this case, you would see Ossenfort trade Hopkins simply to save cap space. Now, you might point to that gigantic $22.6 million in dead money that’s looming over the Redbirds, but there could be a way to circumvent this to an extent. 

The Cards could restructure his deal, which would alleviate some of that dead cap, and therefore, save more in cap space. With the cheaper asking price, more teams may be more open to talking with Ossenfort about Hopkins. 

The Arizona Cardinals could wind up saving more in cap space

Hopkins’ PED suspension also sank his no-trade clause, which gives the Cardinals even more power when it comes to shopping the receiver. This further puts the ball in Arizona’s court, and if they move him before free agency, they can win on several fronts. 

Not only would they still get a few picks even with a cheaper price, but by restructuring Hopkins’ contract, Ossenfort could also be more active in free agency. The team trading for Hopkins will get a receiver about to turn 31, but also a receiver that remains entrenched in his prime. 

Overall, trading Hopkins for a cheaper price would make for a win-win situation on all fronts. And while the fans may ultimately not like the final asking price, chances are, in the long run, they will have much to be grateful for. 

Time will ultimately dictate where and when the Cards trade Hopkins. But if he goes for a cheaper price than you were expecting, hold off on that disappointment.

Source: DeAndre Hopkins being shopped at NFL Scouting Combine with one team linked to Pro Bowler by Vincent Frank with contributions from Benjamin Albright, Sportsnaut.com. 

Source: NFL rumors: DeAndre Hopkins trade could be unbelievably cheap by Scott Rogust, FanSided.com.