DeAndre Hopkins is FIRED by the Cardinals as franchise avoids $30M cap

DeAndre Hopkins has been fired by the Cardinals, the team announced Friday.

Hopkins would have had a $30.7 million cap hit this season, and the team has opted to proceed from the All-Pro wideout with newly installed GM Monti Ossenfort rebuilding a roster that only last year 4-13 standings.

Arizona will still face a significant $22.6 million salary cap increase next season before Hopkins’ contract is wiped off the books.

The move comes after heavy speculation this offseason that Hopkins might want to switch to another franchise, with the 30-year-old previously hinting he would be interested in playing for the Bills or Chiefs.

While Hopkins later denied rumors he was planning to leave Arizona, the official said Cardinals website admitted the team “couldn’t find a trading partner” before cutting ties with him.

DeAndre Hopkins was released by the Cardinals after speculation of a swap

Bills linebacker Von Miller hinted last month that Hopkins could join him in Buffalo

Bills linebacker Von Miller said last month that Hopkins wanted to be a Bill, and the All-Pro receiver basically confirmed that when he performed.I am an athlete‘ Earlier this week – when he was still with the Cardinals.

Hopkins named Bills quarterback Josh Allen as a passer he would like to play with, along with the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, Ravens’ Lamar Jackson and Chargers’ Justin Herbert.

After being taken on in 2020 along with a fourth-round pick for a second-round pick, running back David Johnson and a future fourth-round pick, Hopkins had mixed results in Arizona.

The receiver excelled in his freshman year, catching a franchise record of 115 balls for 1,407 yards, but things went downhill after that.

Injuries meant he only played ten games in 2021, and he played one fewer the following season as he missed the first six games of the season after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.