After months of speculation, the Arizona Cardinals finally let go of wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on Friday. Hopkins’ future with the Cardinals remained a question mark ever since the 2022 season. The primary reason for the Cardinals releasing Hopkins is speculated to be the massive $30.75 million cap hit, ranking highest among WRs. As of now, Hopkins is allowed to sign with any team in the NFL, and an equally enticing opportunity just might present itself.
The Kansas City Chiefs continue building a roster to be feared. With Patrick Mahomes at the helm, the Chiefs secured their second Super Bowl ring in the last four years. But they yearn for more, and speculations lead many to believe that Hopkins is the next acquisition.
Deandre Hopkins to Kansas?
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The recent offseason has been a stomping ground for the Kansas City Chiefs. Not only did they make some noteworthy additions to the existing roster, but the Chiefs also let go of some prominent names. The biggest move was to let OT Orlando Brown join the Bengals and bring in Jawaan Taylor. The acquisition of Taylor left the Chiefs well-equipped on the defensive end, as they got their hands on the better pass protectors in the entire NFL.
The Chiefs received permission to talk with DeAndre Hopkins earlier in the offseason and spoke to him before the draft, per sources. Contract was the hurdle, and to do it now, price would have to come way down.
KC likes him, but the deal they gave Donovan Smith makes $$$ tough.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) May 26, 2023
Another equally enticing addition was Richie James, someone that Patrick Mahomes advocated for extensively. With Patrick Mahomes handling the ball, he needs well-rounded catchers around him. While Travis Kelce has been leading the charge on that front, the loss of Mecole Hardman would have an impact of sorts. Hence, the need for another option. Thankfully, the Chiefs have been in talks with former Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins.
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However, the challenge that remains is one of negotiations. While Hopkins’ massive cap space spared the Cardinals of $8.15 million, the same would not be true for the Chiefs. With Mahomes’ contract already being tweaked several times in the past, the Chiefs might have come up with another solution, and taking the Cardinals’ approach isn’t one of them.
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Are the Cardinals tanking?
With the Cardinals cutting Hopkins, many assumed they did so with the post-June 1 designation. Turns out they didn’t. Teams are only allowed to allot the option twice, and the Arizona Cardinals have used both. Despite this, the Cardinals had the luxury to allow time to do its thing, splitting the cap between the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
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Instead, they took the full $22 million cap charge head-on. With Hopkins out of the roster, the Cardinals still have to deal with the aftermath. And there is only one explanation, they have accepted their fate. The Cardinals are in no position to contend for a title and could be deliberately throwing away the season to get a high pick from the NFL drafts. Something similar happened in 2018, and the Cardinals seem to have an extensive plan for the upcoming seasons, and letting go of DeAndre Hopkins might just be the first step.
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