DeAndre Hopkins released by Cardinals as team absorbs $22.6 million in dead salary cap | nfl

The DeAndre Hopkins era is over for the arizona cardinalsthat they are on the hook for a rather expensive breakout.

The Cardinals cut the three-time All-Pro wide receiver in a salary-cap move Friday after they couldn’t find a trade partner in the offseason.

Arizona made the move three seasons after acquiring Hopkins in a blockbuster trade with Houston and ultimately signing him to a $54.5 million contract extension through 2024. Hopkins, soon to be 31, would have counted nearly $31 million against the cap. wage. this season.

His maximum cap on dead money is $22.6 million. The good news for the Cardinals is that he’ll be off the books by 2024, when the team appears to be at its most competitive.

Hopkins, who remains one of the NFL’s elite receivers when healthy, is free to sign with any team. His 11,298 career receiving yards already rank 36th in league history.

Arizona is rebuilding under new head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort and keeping Hopkins’ expensive contract didn’t make much sense, particularly since franchise quarterback Kyler Murray is likely to miss part of next season while recovering from a knee injury.

The Cardinals tried for months to trade Hopkins, but his expensive contract made it difficult.

Hopkins had 221 receptions for 2,696 yards and 17 touchdowns in 35 games with Arizona. His most famous catch was a last-second throw by Murray in the end zone against the Buffalo Bills in 2020 that became known as “Hail Murray.”

His 2020 season was his best in the desert. He caught a franchise record 115 passes for 1,407 yards and six touchdowns.

For a few months, it looked as if the Murray-Hopkins combination would become one of the most prolific in the NFL. The Cardinals began the 2021 season with a 10-2 record thanks to their high-powered offense, but Hopkins and Murray battled injuries in the second half of the year and the team faded, barely making the playoffs before being blown out. for the Rams. in the wild card round.

Hopkins never quite got on track in 2022, beginning the year with a six-game suspension after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. The Cardinals finished with a 4-13 record, which led to the firing of coach Kliff Kingsbury. The team also parted ways with GM Steve Keim.