The Arizona Cardinals just gave DeAndre Hopkins an extension paying him like a quarterback.
Two years and $54 million. Not a bad day to start the shortened work week.
This is the life of Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who is getting paid like the superstar he is. In fact, Hopkins’ average annual value is the highest of any player in NFL history who doesn’t play quarterback. Incredibly, Hopkins negotiated for himself, meaning he doesn’t have to pay the three percent fee to his agent.
However, it’ll be fascinating to see how the deal was structured, and what type of protections he has coming his way. After all, there’s a reason almost all players have representation.
After being traded in March from the Houston Texans to the Cardinals for running back David Johnson and a second-round selection, Hopkins has quietly gone about his business, and was rewarded on Tuesday morning.
Hopkins, 27, is on a Hall of Fame track. He’s a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, notching 8,602 receiving yards and 54 touchdowns across seven seasons, all in Houston. Should Hopkins have another two or three ultra-productive years in the desert, he’ll be getting fit for a gold jacket once his career ends.
Over the past three seasons, Hopkins has racked up more than 1,100 yards in each campaign, despite being without a legitimate second weapon most of the time.
The former Clemson star is now teaming up with Larry Fitzgerald on the outside, giving second-year quarterback Kyler Murray an explosive duo to work with. Factor in third receiver Christian Kirk and running back Kenyan Drake, and Arizona has one of the more potent attacks in the game.
The Cardinals finished 5-10-1 last season but have had one of the most active offseasons in football. Along with adding Hopkins, Arizona signed defensive tackle Jordan Phillips to a three-year deal. Phillips led all AFC interior defenders with 9.5 sacks in 2019. The Cardinals also used the No. 8 overall pick on Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons, one of the top-five prospects on most boards.