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With the release of DeAndre Hopkins by the Arizona Cardinals, some once quiet things are having light shed on them. Among those are the details of potential trades that could have been.
Prior to Hopkins’ release, the Bills were a team rumored to be interested in making a deal for him. According to one report after the Cards let him go, Buffalo was one of two teams that had “substantive trade talks” with the Cardinals for Hopkins.
Per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Chiefs were the other. Plus there’s some intel on cost of Hopkins’ contract being an issue for both teams:
As for where this goes next, I'd say the price will dictate that. Under current circumstances, unlikely KC or Buffalo go get him. If his price drops (both teams offered incentive-heavy deals), then … maybe.
(Both KC and Buffalo talked directly to Hopkins, and liked him.)
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) May 27, 2023
While Hopkins is searching for a Super Bowl ring, he evidently wants to be paid still too. That’s the problem both the Bills and Chiefs are running into.
According to Spotrac, Buffalo only has $1.6 million in cap space. Kansas City is the only team with less, $1.09M.
The incentive-type deals allow for a team to potentially work a player in under the cap. As of now, Hopkins might be holding out for a firm contract offer so the Bills and Chiefs might have to wait to see if they can circle back to Hopkins.
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