The Arizona Cardinals acquired receiver DeAndre Hopkins from the Houston Texans in a trade that has caused Texans coach and general manager Bill O’Brien to be mocked nationally. The Cardinals gave up running back David Johnson and his albatross of a contract and a second-round pick for an All-Pro receiver.
It has been called a steal of a trade for the Cardinals.
O’Brien defended the deal on a conference call with media members.
“It was in the best interest of our team,” O’Brien said, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “DeAndre Hopkins was a great football player. We loved DeAndre Hopkins. He had three years left on his deal, and he wanted a raise.”
The report that Hopkins was seeking a big raise to be compensated like the top receivers in the game was true. Houston did not want that headache so they dealt him.
O’Brien also spoke highly of Johnson, whom he called “hungry” and “humble”
He insisted that the trade was best for the Texans as an organization.
“Any decision that’s made is made with the team in mind. Capital T, Capital E, Capital A, Capital M in mind,” he said.
The deal has been announced by both the Cardinals and the Texans. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, because physicals have not been given yet, the deals have not yet been processed. However, it would appear that the Texans have no remorse about dealing away arguably their best player for relatively little.
Was it in the best interest of the team? If the Texans replace him with a productive receiver in the draft, maybe so. However, losing the top weapon for quarterback Deshaun Watson, it won’t look like it. Of course, perhaps the Texans know they won’t be able to pay Hopkins more and give Watson the contract he will command soon.
O’Brien can emphasize team all he wants. It is hard to believe that the Texans are better off without one of the best offensive players in the entire league.
[vertical-gallery id=435091]
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.
Ep. 262
[protected-iframe id=”acae2f079be16959d302b76e54165f10-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/24292498/download.mp3″ ]
Ep. 261
[protected-iframe id=”d86bd5f63d5bb1802434c3656dc196ff-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/23833732/download.mp3″ ]