DeAndre Hopkins feeds trade speculation with cryptic social media post

Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins could be on the move after posting what looks like a goodbye to Arizona on social media.

It doesn’t sound like DeAndre Hopkins is coming back to the Cardinals for the 2023 season.

The star wide receiver still has two years on his contract but there are rumblings that he could be traded as Arizona transitions under a new coaching staff.

On Wednesday afternoon, Hopkins dropped an Instagram post that sure looked like a goodbye to Arizona.

“Forever grateful…” the wide receiver wrote on social media along with a photo of him in a Cardinals uniform.

A trade makes sense for DeAndre Hopkins and the Cardinals

Hopkins is turning 31 in June. If he wants to compete for a Super Bowl, Arizona isn’t where he’s going to do it at this phase in his career. The Cardinals just fired Kliff Kingsbury and need to find a new head coach to run the show.

With a cap hit of $30.7 million in 2023, there’s plenty of incentive for Arizona to offload the wide receiver, especially after he’s only played 19 games for them over the last two seasons.

Hopkins spent the first six games of the 2022 season suspended for a violation of the NFL’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. He missed seven games with a hamstring and then MCL injury in 2021.

There will be teams out there on the lookout for a veteran receiver who can still dominate like Hopkins. After serving his suspension, he returned with back-to-back performances with 10+ catches and 100+ yards in 2022.

The Bears could target Hopkins to give Justin Fields a new playmaker. The Ravens could try to beef up Lamar Jackson’s receiving corps. The Patriots could try to spice up their offense. The Browns or Giants could look to make a splash.

When it comes down to it, Hopkins will have the final say. He has a no-trade clause and control where he ultimately lands.