Actually, Deandre Hopkins of the Arizona Cardinals is considered a top trade candidate. Nevertheless, little is happening so far around a change of the wide receiver. Jonathan Gannon, head coach of the Cardinals, has spoken about the future of “D-Hop”.

Does DeAndre Hopkins stay with the Arizona Cardinals after all?

Head coach Jonathan Gannon told the NFL Network that he currently expects the wide receiver to play for Arizona next season.

He said he is looking forward to working with the 30-year-old and seeing how things might develop.

“I just know he’s a great player. As a guy who cares about the defense, I’ve had to go up against him a couple times in the division and the challenges he presents you with,” Gannon said.

Separation not ruled out

Nevertheless, the former defensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles did not want to definitely rule out a separation from Hopkins.

Hopkins is considered a top candidate for a trade, as his age means he is not expected to be able to play at the highest level for much longer.

As the team faces a rebuild, it could get draft picks in return for the ageing star and thus refresh its squad with young talent.

Potential takers include the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots, as well as the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills.

Hopkins long best receiver in league

Hopkins was long considered the league’s best receiver and had been traded to the Cardinals in 2020 after seven years with the Houston Texans.

Due to injuries and a doping suspension last season, the 30-year-old played in only 19 of 34 games since 2021 after his debut season in Arizona.

For the Cardinals, Hopkins has 221 catches for 2696 yards and 17 touchdowns in three years, catching 69.1 per cent of his targets.

Overall, in 145 games in the NFL, he stands at 853 catches, 11,298 yards and 71 touchdowns.

Best time was Watson phase in Houston

His best time was from 2017 to 2019 in Houston, where he was named All-Pro three years in a row in a matchup with Deshaun Watson.