The Arizona Cardinals are expected to trade wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. They are, for now, holding to their asking price of a second-round pick and more.
However, new head coach Jonathan Gannon isn’t assuming Hopkins will be gone. As long as Hopkins is on the roster, he will prepare for him to be on the team.
“I’m operating that he’s a Cardinal right now,” Gannon told NFL Media’s Steve Wyche over the weekend at the annual league meeting. “So, I’m looking forward to getting in the meeting room and on the field with him and seeing where it can go. I just know he’s an elite player. Being a defensive guy, I had to go up against him a couple of times in the division. The challenges that he presents. I’m excited to get to work with him.”
Whether he is actually traded ultimately is not about Gannon. It is what general manager Monti Ossenfort decides.
Hopkins clearly would be great for the team but they are trying to rebuild and need assets and players to do that.
Gannon is doing exactly what he should. He is working with and preparing for what is currently on his roster.
Hopkins will likely end up elsewhere. The team seems intent on trading him. It might not be until the draft when the deal occurs, but it will almost surely happen.
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