For the next few days, trade speculation will continue to heat up, and the Arizona Cardinals are one of many teams listed to be sellers at the trade deadline. Even if the Redbirds trade some star players away, there are a few dream scenarios out there from a trade compensation standpoint that could mitigate the heartache if they trade, say, Budda Baker.
But the Cards aren’t the only team that may sell here. One name in particular was the Tennessee Titans, who have stumbled out to a 2-4 start and are one of the worst teams in the AFC. Players like Derrick Henry will probably see their names brought up, but former Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins is another one who could be on the move just six (or seven) games into his stint with the Titans.
Tennessee already traded safety Kevin Byard to his hometown team, the Philadelphia Eagles, and with Will Levis ready to take over for Ryan Tannehill at quarterback, they may not be finished yet. In his piece for the Washington Post, NFL Insider and Analyst Jason La Canfora listed Hopkins along with Denico Autry as prime trade candidates:
"“The big question is future Hall of Fame wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who got $9 million to sign but carries a minimal salary.” "Jason La Canfora
Source: 12 teams that could be sellers at the NFL trade deadline, Washington Post
Could former Arizona Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins get traded?
Hopkins has shown us so far this season that he still carries value, even if he’s not the player he was. While he has yet to find the end zone in 2023, Hopkins still has 376 receiving yards and 13.9 yards per catch on 27 receptions and 47 targets.
It’s clear that if the Titans decide to undergo a major rebuilding project if they roll with Levis for the rest, or at least most of the season, then Hopkins could be on the move. Time is running out for the 30-year-old to contend for a Super Bowl title, so he would likely welcome a trade to someone like the Dallas Cowboys or the Kansas City Chiefs to put himself in the best position to reach the Super Bowl this year.
While Hopkins means little to the Arizona Cardinals these days, it’s still fun to follow players from the former regime and see what they make of their careers elsewhere. It will be interesting to see if Hopkins ends up in a different uniform sooner than we all thought.
(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)