Getty De'Andre Hopkins catches the ball facing Charvarius Ward on November 21, 2022 in Mexico City.
After days of building rumors, the Buffalo Bills may be leading the trade market for All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
The Arizona Cardinals receiver has been in the midst of trade rumors since the end of the last season, when The Score’s Jordan Schultz reported that the Cardinals planned to try trading Hopkins during the offseason. Some pundits imagined the Bills as a logical destination, drawing up speculative trade proposals sending Hopkins to Buffalo.
But NFL insider Aaron Wilson says there is more than idle speculation, reporting that the Bills are in the front of the pack.
“#Cardinals DeAndre Hopkins’ trade market headlined by #Bills, per NFL sources,” Wilson tweeted on March 23. “Five-time Pro Bowl selection has plenty of interest on trade market, but financial expectations might impact any further interest from #Chiefs #Ravens not among bidders, per sources.”
Others Connect DeAndre Hopkins to Bills
Wilson is not alone in reporting that the Bills have expressed genuine interest in trading for Hopkins. Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show on March 23, Adam “Pacman” Jones reported that five teams were actively pursuing Hopkins — the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots, and the Bills.
Jones added that Hopkins was most interested in winning a Super Bowl, which put the Bills in the front of the pack for him.
“I don’t really think it’s about the money with him right now. I think he wants to get out, and it’s a big thing, he wants to win. Definitely wants to win and get a shot,” Jones said. “I go back and look at the teams, and I know D as a person. I’m leaning more toward the Bills or the Ravens.”
Source(s) have some DHop information..
“There’s five teams in on DHop and my source(s) tell me that Buffalo could work”
One of the potential contenders that Jones mentioned could already be out of the running. The MMQB’s Albert Breer said on a Thursday appearance on NBC Sports’ “Early Edition” that he believed the Patriots will not be trying to trade for Hopkins.
“I don’t think that anybody in the organization anticipates it happening,” Breer said. “I think part of it is all of this comes along with DeAndre Hopkins — he doesn’t practice, there’s been attitude issues in the past, and there’s been a clash in particular with Bill O’Brien. I just think that they see this as a bridge too far right now.”
Hopkins Could Be in Buffalo’s Price Range
If the Cardinals do choose to trade Hopkins, the Bills may be able to meet their asking price. In a recent mailbag, Breer wrote the Cardinals have already backed off their initial price of a second-round pick and another asset.
“Based on indications I’ve gotten, that sort of return simply isn’t coming,” said Breer.
“I do think he’ll bring back more than Brandin Cooks did for the Texans—Houston got a 2023 fifth-rounder and ’24 sixth-rounder for him from the Cowboys—but it’ll probably be closer to that than what Arizona is looking for.”
Update: The #Cardinals will not be able to get their initial asking price of a “2nd round pick and another asset” in a trade for WR DeAndre Hopkins, per @AlbertBreer
He thinks it will be closer to the #Cowboys Brandin Cooks trade of a 5th and 6th round picks.
Breer went on to say there were too many question marks surrounding Hopkins, including his age and the fact that he has missed 17 games over the past two seasons. Breer wrote that this shrinks the market to teams already contending for a Super Bowl, a group that would include the Bills.