Trade Winds Swirling Around DeAndre Hopkins, Other Receivers
Analysis 2/23/23
This year's NFL free-agent class of wide receivers is not deep, which could mean teams turn to the trade market to fill their need for veteran wideouts.
There are at least four notable veterans who could be on the move before the NFL Draft on April 27-29. Two of them are 30 or older, a third turns 30 in September, and all three are coming off subpar seasons by their standards. The fourth is somewhat of a unicorn — a young, highly productive player with a year to go on his rookie contract.
Potential Receiver Trade Targets
DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals
2022 Stats: 64 receptions | 717 yards | 3 TDs
DeAndre Hopkins missed eight games last season — six to suspension and two to injury. He's been a very productive receiver in his career, eclipsing 100 receptions four times and scoring 11 or more touchdowns three times, but there are several reasons why it makes sense to trade him.
The Arizona Cardinals have a new regime with general manager Monti Ossenfort and coach Jonathan Gannon, and they want a younger roster. Hopkins, who is 30, will be seeking a new contract. He has two years remaining on his deal but no guaranteed money left.
>>READ: Patriots Should Trade for DeAndre Hopkins
The Cardinals also have a younger receiver in Marquise Brown, whom they traded a first-round pick for last year under the previous regime, and he's in the final year of his rookie contract.
Some around the league believe Hopkins doesn't want to be with the Cardinals anymore and wants a fresh start. It probably will make sense for everybody involved to move on and for Arizona to add more draft capital. Ossenfort is a draft-and-develop type of guy, so getting more draft picks, and getting younger, is something Arizona will try to do this offseason.
Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers
2022 Stats: 66 receptions | 752 yards | 4 TDs
Los Angeles Chargers GM Tom Telesco said all the right things after the season about Keenan Allen and why they want to keep him, but Allen missed seven games. When Allen is healthy, he's been very productive, catching 100 or more passes in four of five seasons from 2017 to 2021, but he also has a big contract.
Last season, the Chargers were the only team with two receivers with contracts that averaged more than $20 million per season — Allen and Mike Williams. If Allen, who will be 31 next season, was traded, Los Angeles would save almost $15 million. That's an important consideration because the Chargers have a looming contract extension for quarterback Justin Herbert on the horizon.
Moving Allen, at his age and salary, makes sense. Considering there aren't a lot of wide receivers available, there should be a market for him if the Chargers decide to go in that direction.
Brandin Cooks, Houston Texans
2022 Stats: 57 receptions | 699 yards | 3 TDs
Brandin Cooks was hoping to get traded at the deadline last year. The Houston Texans had talks with the Dallas Cowboys, but the asking price was too high, and Cooks' contract was too difficult to move.
After the season, Cooks said he would like a fresh start and didn't want to be part of a rebuild. He has $18 million guaranteed and a cap hit of more than $26 million in 2023, which could make a trade difficult.
He said he, his agent and Texans GM Nick Caserio have a great relationship, and they will work together to try to find a solution. If it means moving some money around, Cooks seems open to that if it facilitates a trade.
Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
2022 Stats: 74 receptions | 1,029 yards | 7 TDs
Tee Higgins is a name we're going to hear a lot in the coming weeks and months because the Cincinnati Bengals have so many players who will receive big paydays in the next year or so. He is entering the fourth — and final — year of his rookie contract, so he's eligible for an extension now.
Remember, quarterback Joe Burrow is also eligible for a new contract, and star receiver Ja'Marr Chase will be eligible for a new deal after the 2023 season. So what happens to Higgins? He would be the No. 1 receiver on many teams, and he has every right to ask for a contract commensurate to what A.J. Brown got ($25 million per season) when he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles last year.
>>READ: How Bengals Can Get Back to Super Bowl
Until the Bengals get a deal done with Higgins, his name will be brought up over and over this offseason. There are many teams who could use him, and he just turned 24, so he brings a lot of upside. It raises some questions for the Bengals. Do they trade him for a first-round pick and more, and then try to find someone else in the draft? Do they pay him and have two receivers making significant money on the roster?
This depends on how Cincinnati views its roster in light of those next contracts for Burrow and Chase. There's no chance they will break up those two.