The NFL offseason kicked into high gear on Monday as NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo spilled coffee all over himself talking about Kareem Hunt. Oh, and then the Houston Texans traded star wideout DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals.
Word broke Monday afternoon that Hopkins, a superstar wideout known for spectacular catches of passes thrown by Deshaun Watson, will now catch balls from Kyler Murray. ESPN’s Adam Schefter had the first report, saying that Hopkins was shockingly on the move.
Texans are trading DeAndre Hopkins to Arizona, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2020
Soon after we learned the return would be Cardinals running back David Johnson, along with some draft picks.
Framework of trade still being finalized, sources tell ESPN:
🏈Cardinals get DeAndre Hopkins and a late-round pick.
🏈Texans get David Johnson and a second-round pick.
Other picks involved, but Hopkins wanted a new deal that Arizona can provide.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2020
DeAndre Hopkins and a fourth round pick go to Cards for David Johnson and a second round pick this year and a fourth round pick next year.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) March 16, 2020
As Schefter pointed out, Hopkins wants a new deal that would pay him handsomely, and apparently the Texans weren’t prepared to do that. Instead, they flip him to the Cardinals, who get another weapon for a young quarterback in Murray as they rebuild under Kliff Kingsbury.
Johnson, meanwhile, was once one of the most feared backs in the NFL, but a 2017 injury in Week 1 following a breakout 2016 season derailed his career and he’s never returned to the prominence he had four years ago. He saw a limited role with the Cardinals in 2019 as the team operated in a running back by committee mode for most of the campaign.
It’s unclear if the Texans view him as a reclamation project or simply a cog in the offense moving forward, but the initial return for one of the most feared wideouts in the game doesn’t wow anyone at first blush. Still, the Texans don’t have a first round pick in this year’s still-scheduled draft, and so acquiring a higher pick may set them up in a draft class they feel is deep enough to replace Hopkins without having to give him a big contract.
