Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker is present at the team's mandatory minicamp, but he is not practicing amid his reported ongoing contract dispute and trade request.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network and ESPN's Josh Weinfuss provided more information.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported in April that Baker asked the team in February to make him the league's highest-paid safety or trade him.

Baker signed a four-year, $59 million extension in 2020. Per Over the Cap, that makes him the seventh-highest-paid safety in the league by average annual value.

The two-time first-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler had 111 tackles (75 solo), seven pass breakups and two interceptions in 15 games last year.

The Cardinals already made one monster move this offseason, releasing star wideout DeAndre Hopkins in a salary-cap decision that sees the team incur a $21 million dead cap hit in 2023 before clearing his deal off the books in 2024.

However, it appears the rebuilding Cardinals, who went 4-13 last year and now have a pair of new leaders in general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon, may be retaining Baker.

That would be a huge win for the Cardinals given how well Baker has played for them. He can be part of the solution to brighter days in Arizona after the team bottomed out in 2022 following a playoff appearance in 2021.

The 27-year-old has two years left on his current deal.

Three-time Pro Bowler DeAndre Hopkins is racking up free-agent visits as he looks to find a new home after being released by the Arizona Cardinals on May 26.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the wide receiver will meet with the New England Patriots next week.

This is the second known visit for the 31-year-old. Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel confirmed on Wednesday they will meet with Hopkins early next week.

"We want people that want to be here," Vrabel said. "Then if that works out then you go on to the next step."

The Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs are among teams that have also been discussed as destinations for Hopkins.

Buffalo may have taken itself out of his market this week by signing Leonard Floyd to a one-year contract. The deal had to be structured with three void years to spread out the money because of how close to the salary cap the Bills are.

The Patriots have frequently been cited as a potential landing spot for Hopkins. He helped fuel the speculation by posting an Instagram story that appeared to show him watching an NFL Network replay of New England's Super Bowl victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Head coach Bill Belichick was asked about the Clemson product during a press conference on May 31.

Even though the Patriots coach didn't want to address Hopkins at that time, he did heap praise on the veteran wideout prior to his team's Week 14 game against the Cardinals last season.

"He's up there with whoever the top guys are," Belichick told reporters on Dec. 8. "Cris Carters of the world and guys like that. He's every bit as good as anybody I've ever coached against."

It also makes sense for the Patriots to be interested in Hopkins because their current group of wide receivers isn't very exciting. They did add JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency to a room that includes DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne.

ESPN's Bill Barnwell suggested Bourne could be a trade candidate because he's only making $5.5 million this season and has no guaranteed money left on his contract.

The Patriots need to find at least one receiver who can help take some of the pressure off Mac Jones. Bringing in Bill O'Brien as offensive coordinator should be an upgrade after Matt Patricia failed in spectacular fashion running the offense last season.

But getting a reliable pass-catcher who can make plays in traffic would be a big help for the third-year quarterback. Hopkins finished last season with 717 receiving yards in just nine games.

The Arizona Cardinals aren't looking like a team that's going to bounce back in 2023, but veteran running back James Conner says the franchise is ready to prove everyone wrong this year.

"Nobody believes in us, but that's OK," Conner said this week, per The Athletic's Doug Haller. "That's the exciting part. To prove people wrong."

The Cardinals finished the 2022 season fourth in the NFC West with a 4-13 record, though a lot of the team's issues stemmed from injuries and a six-game suspension served by star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to begin the year for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy.

Arizona is slated to begin the 2023 campaign without star quarterback Kyler Murray, who suffered a torn ACL in a Week 14 loss to the New England Patriots last season. Additionally, the franchise just released Hopkins, only furthering the notion that another disappointing year is ahead.

Veteran Colt McCoy is slated to be the team's starting signal-caller come Week 1, throwing to a receiving group that includes Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, Greg Dortch, Rondale Moore and Michael Wilson.

That's not an ideal group for the Cardinals, especially in a competitive division that includes the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks. If the team is going to prove everyone wrong, it's probably going to take a miracle.

DeAndre Hopkins isn't expected to be picky when it comes to finding a new team this offseason.

Appearing on SportsCenter on Saturday morning, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported the five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver is not necessarily looking to play with specific quarterbacks and the start of training camp is viewed as a "hard deadline" for him to sign a deal:

"DeAndre Hopkins, I'm told, is sorting out potential free-agency visits that he could take in the coming days. He's not overly rushed here, though. I was told that basically minicamp is a soft deadline, training camp in late July more of a hard deadline. And so, he's looking at the entire league. This is not a situation where he's only looking to play with certain quarterbacks, or a short list. He's pretty open-minded here is what shakes down. Now, I'm told he's open to playing with Deshaun Watson, as Watson is playing with him. Browns are probably called fringe contenders. I think they've made a phone call; I don't know that they're overly invested at big money right now. That's sort of the problem. A lot of these contending teams would love to have him; I would put the Bills in this hat too, the Chiefs, some others. But with cap issues, and now that we're in early June, there's not a lot of money to spend. So, we'll see which team is going to give him a fair deal commiserate with a former All-Pro."

It doesn't appear there has been a robust market for Hopkins going back to the start of the offseason when the Arizona Cardinals were attempting to trade him.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported on May 27 the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs were the only teams that had substantive trade talks with the Cardinals, but his contract was a prohibitive issue for both clubs.

Breer also noted Odell Beckham Jr.'s deal with the Baltimore Ravens (one year, $15 million guaranteed) had an impact on trade talks for the Chiefs.

The Cardinals opted to release Hopkins on May 26 when they were unable to find a trade partner.

Breer noted earlier this week interest in Hopkins is "tepid" around the NFL and there's a divide among some team executives about what he has to offer at this stage of his career.

One executive told Breer that Hopkins "can't run anymore" and there's "not much" potential impact he can make. Another executive pointed out the 30-year-old "still (has) great hands" to win contested catches even though he's not "much of a deep threat."

If those are the feelings from all 32 teams, Hopkins may struggle to find a lucrative deal. There are currently eight teams that have at least $20 million in available cap space. The Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans are among the clubs in that group with an obvious need at wide receiver.

Using training camp as a potential hard deadline means this situation could drag out for awhile, but it also allows teams to better assess their receivers if they want to at least consider Hopkins.

All 32 teams will open training camp for veterans between July 23-26.

Hopkins only played in nine games for the Cardinals last season, but he still finished with 64 receptions and 717 receiving yards on 96 targets.

As veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins remains a free agent following last week's release from the Arizona Cardinals, it sounds like the market of teams interested in signing him is dwindling.

ESPN's Dianna Russini reported on Thursday's episode of Get Up that the New York Jets are "not interested" in Hopkins at the moment, and she added "I don't get the sense that he is an option" for the Dallas Cowboys. She also noted that the Buffalo Bills are "not all in" on pursuing Hopkins, though they are continuing to monitor his situation.

Russini noted that at this point in the process, the decision lies in Hopkins' hands, but she named one team that remains in the market for his services.

"It's really gonna come down to what he prefers and what he wants, as there are several teams, including the New England Patriots, who are interested in DeAndre Hopkins, and we're gonna see over the next few weeks Hopkins taking visits with different teams, and he's gonna make a decision on what's best for him," Russini said.

The 30-year-old is coming off his second straight season with under 1,000 receiving yards after he missed a total of eight games in 2022, six of which were caused by a suspension for violating the performance-enhancing drug policy. However, he still led the Cardinals with 717 yards while adding 64 receptions and three touchdowns in his nine appearances.

Whichever team lands the five-time Pro Bowler will be getting a player who is likely motivated to show he can still be one of the top receivers in the game.

Some NFL executives "expressed concern" about DeAndre Hopkins' "practice habits," The Athletic's Tim Graham reported Thursday.

Hopkins was released by the Arizona Cardinals on May 26 after he skipped voluntary team activities in Tempe earlier that month.

Last season, Hopkins was suspended six games for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy. He missed two additional contests because of injury but remained Arizona's top receiver with 64 catches for 717 yards and three touchdowns.

The Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs are reportedly interested in pursuing Hopkins, per SI.com's Albert Breer.

This is not the first time questions have been raised about Hopkins' practice habits. Part of the reason the Houston Texans traded the star receiver in March 2020 was because of his attendance at practice, Breer reported.

"On Sundays, he was exemplary," Breer wrote. "The rest of the week, his practice habits (he didn't practice much at all) became a problem, and because he was such a big star he had the ability to carry teammates in the wrong direction—guys who might not be able to turn it on come game day as easily as he could."

Hopkins continued to miss practices for the Arizona Cardinals the following season. When asked about his attendance in August 2021, Hopkins said he loved to practice but was monitoring an injured ankle, per CardsWire's Jess Root.

Hopkins, who will turn 31 next week, last played a full season in 2020. During that first campaign with the Cardinals, he was named to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl after grabbing 115 passes for 1,407 yards, good for fourth in the NFL. He sits second among all active pass-catchers for most career receptions.

NFL teams looking at signing him will have to consider if he can return to Pro Bowl form after two seasons limited by injury and suspension.

Hopkins, who previously represented himself, recently hired Kelton Crenshaw of Klutch Sports Group to represent him, per NFL.com's Ian Rapoport. Crenshaw also represents Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young, Giants pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux and Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith.

While DeAndre Hopkins is still searching for a Super Bowl ring, it appears he's still prioritizing money, and playing with his preferred quarterback will not come before his salary demands.

An NFL executive who has communicated with Hopkins' camp told The Athletic's Tim Graham that the veteran wide receiver's "preferred passer won't supersede his preferred payout."

A few days before he was released by the Cardinals, Hopkins revealed on the I Am Athlete podcast that he'd like to play with Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Philadelphia Eagles signal-caller Jalen Hurts, Kansas City Chiefs MVP Patrick Mahomes, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Los Angeles Chargers signal-caller Justin Herbert.

If Hopkins is prioritizing money, the Bills and Chiefs may be out on the veteran given their lack of cap space. Buffalo has just $1.4 million in space, per OverTheCap, and Kansas City has just $652,557 in cap space.

That's not to say they couldn't clear the cap space, but it would be difficult for either franchise to do so. Graham even reported that the Bills are considered a "long shot" to land Hopkins.

The Eagles, meanwhile, have $13.5 million in cap space, per OverTheCap, and adding Hopkins to a pass-catching unit that already includes A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith would make for an even more dangerous offense.

The Ravens also have $11.5 million in cap space, per OverTheCap, and pairing Hopkins with Odell Beckham Jr. would help Baltimore elevate a passing offense that has been lackluster over the last few seasons.

Additionally, the Chargers have $12.6 million in cap space, per OverTheCap, and Hopkins would fit in nicely alongside Mike Williams, Keenan Allen and rookie Quentin Johnston.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported last month that Hopkins was seeking a deal similar to the one-year, $15 million contract Beckham signed with the Ravens. If that's the case, most teams will need to create cap space to sign him this summer.

With training camp around the corner, all eyes will be on Hopkins as fans await his highly anticipated decision.