The 3-5 Cardinals are presently in last place in their division and are on the outside of the NFC playoff picture. It is of little surprise, then, that Arizona GM Steve Keim received a “flurry of trade calls” from teams interested in wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins prior to Tuesday’s trade deadline (via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). We do not know who placed the calls, but given their reported interest in other receivers, clubs like the Cowboys, Packers, and even the division-rival Rams might have checked in.

The leaguewide desire to add receiving help was on full display at the deadline, as Chase Claypool, Calvin Ridley, Kadarius Toney, and T.J. Hockenson all changed teams, and notable pass catchers like Brandin Cooks and Jerry Jeudy were the subject of trade discussions as well. At present, Hopkins is better than any of those players, and he is under club control through 2024 with no guaranteed money left on his contract, so Keim could have demanded a hefty return if he were interested in swinging a deal.

Hopkins, 30, has been terrific since returning from his six-game PED suspension. In two games this year, he has caught 22 balls for 262 yards and a score, and quarterback Kyler Murray is a noticeably better passer with Hopkins in the lineup. The Cardinals acquired Marquise Brown in a draft-day trade in April in the hopes that he and Hopkins would form a formidable 1-2 punch when Hopkins got back on the field, but Brown is on IR with a foot injury and is not expected back for a few more weeks. Following Brown’s injury, Keim traded for Panthers wideout Robbie Anderson, who has seen just 19 snaps in two games with the Cardinals as he continues to get acclimated to Kliff Kingsbury‘s offense.

When healthy, that offense — which has been without RB James Conner for the last three weeks and which was without WR Rondale Moore for the first three games of the campaign — can be a potent one. And the NFC West is not exactly a powerhouse this year, so rather than deal his top playmaker, Keim stood pat and will now look to see if Hopkins can help his club claw back onto the postseason chase.

However, Rapoport observed that it’s unclear whether Keim was unwilling to trade Hopkins, or if other teams simply didn’t meet his asking price. Hopkins, who is due base salaries of $19.5MM in 2023 and $14.9MM in 2024 — eminently reasonable figures in light of the exploding receiver market — could be on the trade block this offseason. Indeed, while his salaries are manageable, his cap charges on Arizona’s books are significant ($30.8MM in 2023 and $26.2MM in 2024) due to his prorated bonus money.

In an offseason filled with headlines at the receiver position in particular, one newsworthy item of a different nature was the six-game suspension handed down to DeAndre Hopkins. The cause of the ban – a prohibited substance being found in his bloodstream – remains a talking point for multiple reasons. 

Hopkins was suspended for having Ostarine in his system. It was originally reported, however, he had also tested positive for a diuretic or masking agent. A statement from the NFLPA refutes that allegation, though. It reads in part: “Hopkins never tested positive for any diuretic or masking agent and there was absolutely no evidence of any attempt to substitute, dilute or adulterate any specimen or any attempt to manipulate a test” (Twitter link via Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson).

Hopkins – who at one point considered appealing his suspension in large part due to the fact that a fraction over 0.1% of the substance was found, and maintains that he is unsure how it entered his body – is using his situation as a means to speak out against the NFL’s PED policy writ large. “I’ve never taken any of that kind of stuff,” he said, via ArizonaSports’ Alex Weiner. “If you know about what it is, it can be in shampoo, it can be in a lot of different things. Obviously the NFL is very black and white, so of course, I wish the rule wasn’t so black and white. It is what it is.

“It’s hard to know what you can eat, what you can do when you’re not in control of manufacturing anything or what goes through a conveyor belt… So, obviously, I do think that rules should change. But like I said, that stuff, it’ll work itself out, and I’ve never taken anything. I barely take vitamins.”

The 30-year-old is also rehabbing from an MCL injury which cut his 2021 campaign short. He is expected to recover in time to take the field after his ban ends, but at least until then, his absence and the circumstances surrounding it are likely to remain contentious.

The Cardinals have known for quite some time that they will be without their top wideout for, in all likelihood, the first six weeks of the regular season in 2022. To ensure he is fully prepared to return from his PED suspension upon his eligibility to do so, the team must also keep in mind the MCL injury DeAndre Hopkins is recovering from. 

As a result, ESPN’s Josh Weinfus notes that the Cardinals are taking a “targeted approach” to Hopkins’ recovery. In essence, that will consist of the team putting him on a “pitch count” with respect to which days he practices on, and how much time he spends on the field at any one time.

“We’re trying to come up with a great plan that rolls right up to Week 7 of the season and make sure we’re smart about it,” head coach Kliff Kingsbury said. “But, the main thing I don’t want him to do is ramp up, make a bunch of plays in training camp… and then six weeks he’s not doing anything.”

Hopkins will be allowed to practice with the team while suspended, giving both player and club the opportunity to institute a methodical recovery plan through the summer. A healthy return would be a welcomed sight for all parties, of course; the three-time All-Pro will have missed 14 of the last 16 games for Arizona by the time he will be cleared to play again. The impact of his loss on the team’s offense was significant late last year, precipitating in part one of Arizona’s most significant offseason moves.

The Cardinals traded a first round pick to the Ravens for wideout Marquise Brown during the draft, giving them a 1,000-yard wideout to deploy in Hopkins’ early absence. When both are available, Brown’s speed also projects as an effective compliment to the latter’s size and style of play. To ensure the tandem will be on the field together as soon as possible, the team will use a significant amount of caution in bringing back their No. 1 pass catcher.