The Philadelphia Eagles had interest but didn’t like the Houston Texans asking price for DeAndre Hopkins
The Philadelphia Eagles caught a ton of flak on Tuesday after it was revealed that the Cardinals had landed DeAndre Hopkins for pennies.
Hopkins was traded to Arizona for a second-round pick and talented running back David Johnson.
During an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic, Adam Schefter revealed that the Eagles did inquire about Hopkins, but the didn’t the compensation for the Texans and a new deal for the wide receiver was worth cost.
“The Texans did speak to the Eagles at one point about DeAndre Hopkins Schefter said. And I think the Eagles decided at this point in this time, with everything that you were going to have to do, you were going to have to pay the Texans, you were going to have to pay Hopkins a new contract, give up compensation.”
“I think they decided that that wasn’t the right move. Now, I don’t know if that’s because this is maybe the deepest draft at wide receiver there is ever, or if they liked what they had, or if they had other ideas in mind. I don’t know why. But for whatever reason, I think they believe it wasn’t worth it. So, they did have conversations there.”
Hopkins has 3 years left on his contract at $12.5M, 1$3.5M and $13.9M with none of it guaranteed.
Hopkins is reportedly seeking a deal in the range of Amari Cooper’s $20 million per season.
Michael Irvin shared his conversation on ESPN’s “Get Up” about DeAndre Hopkins’ meeting with Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien.
There is no doubt that something occurred behind the scenes to fray DeAndre Hopkins’ relationship with the Houston Texans. Why else would the AFC South club trade its three-time All-Pro receiver in the prime of his career?
According to Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Wedensday, the relationship between Hopkins and coach Bill O’Brien, now full-time general manager, deteriorated to the point a departure was imminent.
“I couldn’t rest my mind on it. I called him again 24 hours, late yesterday and then he was willing to talk more. And I said, ‘Tell me what happened in Houston,’ and he went into it.
“He told me, he said, ‘Michael, it was a bit of a power struggle there.’ Because Coach O’Brien thought he had too much influence over the locker room. He called DeAndre Hopkins in a meeting to talk about this and kind of just hash it out. In that meeting, he started that meeting telling DeAndre Hopkins this, and it blew my mind when DeAndre Hopkins told me this.
“He said, he told DeAndre Hopkins, he said, ‘The last time I had to have a meeting like this it was with Aaron Hernandez.’ And I was like, did he put in Aaron Hernandez in this meeting?
“He said, ‘Yes, he did. Michael, that blew my mind that he would bring that up. I’ve never been in any trouble. Why would he equate me with Aaron Hernandez?’
“And from there the meeting just deteriorated that they got to talking about how DeAndre Hopkins has a few kids from different women. And he said, he told DeAndre that he doesn’t like that he has his baby mommas around sometimes. And from there I think the relationship just went bad, and thus we got a trade of DeAndre Hopkins from Houston from basically, like I said earlier, a ham sandwich all because of that relationship.”
Hopkins didn’t respond directly to the video or the comments therein on Twitter Wednesday, but the former 2013 first-round pick from Clemson did seem to subtweet the situation.
“This is being blown way out of proportion,” Hopkins wrote. “As I’ve said before, I enjoyed and am proud of my time with the Texans. I have the utmost respect for Coach O’Brien and that will not change. Now, I’m ready to play for the Cardinals.”
This is being blown way out of proportion. As I’ve said before, I enjoyed and am proud of my time with the Texans. I have the utmost respect for Coach O’Brien and that will not change. Now, I’m ready to play for the Cardinals.
The Texans didn’t exactly get a ham sandwich in the trade with the Arizona Cardinals. Houston swapped Hopkins for All-Pro running back David Johnson, and also gave up their 2020 fourth-round pick to get the Cardinals’ 2020 second-round selection and 2021 fourth-round pick.
Regardless, the move was one a team makes when in rebuilding mode, not in championship mode. The Texans’ passing game will still have two-time Pro Bowler Deshaun Watson under center, but receivers Randall Cobb, Will Fuller, Keke Coutee, Kenny Stills, DeAndre Carter, and Steven Mitchell will all have to step up.
According to DeAndre Hopkins, Bill O’Brien compared him to Aaron Hernandez.
The Houston Texans were universally panned for trading away superstar wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in what appears to be an incredibly lopsided deal with the Cardinals, and the transaction left many wondering what was going on in Houston.
During an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up on Wednesday, Michael Irvin shared the shocking details of a conversation he had with DeAndre Hopkins about the move, and Hopkins’ revelations left many in the NFL world dumbfounded. According to Hopkins, Texans coach Bill O’Brien was unhappy that Hopkins had “too much influence” in the locker room, and called a meeting with his wide receiver. In that meeting, O’Brien compared Hopkins to Aaron Hernandez, and criticized Hopkins for having the mothers of his children around.
“He said ‘Michael, it was a bit of a power struggle there, because Bill O’Brien, coach O’Brien thought [Hopkins] had too much influence over the locker room.’ He called DeAndre Hopkins in a meeting to talk about this and to kind of, I guess, hash it out. In that meeting, he started the meeting with telling DeAndre Hopkins this – that blew my mind when DeAndre told me this.
He told DeAndre Hopkins, he said ‘hey, the last time I had to have a meeting like this it was with Aaron Hernandez.’ I was like ‘what, he put in Aaron Hernandez in this meeting?’ He said ‘yes he did.’ He said ‘Michael, that blew my mind that he would even bring that up. I’ve never been in any trouble, I don’t know why he would equate me with Aaron Hernandez.’
And from there, the meeting just deteriorated. He got into talking about DeAndre Hopkins – DeAndre Hopkins has a few kids from different women – he told DeAndre he doesn’t like that he has his ‘baby mamas’ around sometimes, and from that I think the relationship just went bad.”
NFL analysts and fans were stunned.
Did y’all hear what @michaelirvin88 just said to @Espngreeny on @GetUpESPN: that @HoustonTexans coach Bill O’Brien actually called @DeAndreHopkins into his office and mentioned the late Aaron Hernandez in the same breath as D-Hop?? Oh! I’m really done with O’Brien if that’s true.
If what Michael Irvin just said on @GetUpESPN is true (and I have no reason to not believe him), then Bill O'Brien is about to have a lot of explaining to do about the conversations with Hopkins prior to the trade.
If this is true about Bill O'Brien's conversation with Hopkins, and Michael Irvin is quoting Hopkins, then pressure is going to mount for O'Brien to get fired. Hard to know if that can break through the noise of other current events though.
Chance Diaz from Houston said in his petition entitled “Fire Bill O’Brien” that he is at his “wit’s end” with the Texans:
They continue to prove time and again they have no idea how to run a football team and it all stems from one man, Bill O’Brien. You would think after last season the front office would have done anything possible to protect Deshaun but the O-line is not significantly better than last season and now we have lost our second best defensive player. In exchange for Clowney we received backups and a 3rd pick. Change needs to occur and it starts with getting rid of the head coach. Even if Bill O’Brien doesn’t get fired they need to know how bad their decision making is.
Fans overreacting to a big loss is one thing. After all, there are among the 45 petitions that render when searching for “Bill O’Brien” petitions that ask for his removal following Week 4’s loss to the Carolina Panthers. However, trading a three-time All-Pro who represented the franchise well struck a chord with Texans fans.
Trading away Hopkins for All-Pro running back David Johnson is a huge gamble on O’Brien’s part, one that puts his reputation with chairman and CEO Cal McNair on the line. The trade also strains any credibility O’Brien had left with the fans.
As the old adage goes: “Winning cures all.” The problem is there’s nine months still to go until O’Brien can prove his way works. Until then, it’s an offseason of discontent with Houston sports fans zeroed in on the loss of Hopkins as the Houston Rockets and Houston Astros are put on ice thanks to the COVID-19 social distancing measures.
Houston mayor Sylvester Turner took to Twitter to thank former Texans and now Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
Monday’s news of the Houston Texans trading three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals shook the Houston sports scene.
Houston’s mayor, Sylvester Turner, thanked Hopkins publicly on Twitter on Monday evening.
“@DeAndreHopkinswas true to his roots on and off the field,” Turner wrote. “He worked to uplift our communities & invested to ensure our children had the chance to learn all sports. I appreciate his incredible athleticism & sportsmanship while with the @HoustonTexans #ThanksDeAndreHopkins”
Hopkins replied and thanked Turner for, “showing me what a real leader looks like.”
Hopkins was on pace to overtake Texans Ring of Honor receiver Andre Johnson in numerous career categories. For instance, after Week 16’s win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that delivered the AFC South to Houston, Hopkins extended his streak of consecutive games with a reception to 110, the second-longest in club history behind Johnson’s 133.
The streak is the fifth-longest active streak of games with at least one reception in the NFL. Hopkins will have a chance to add to that record with the Cardinals in 2020.
The Arizona Cardinals have addressed two big needs early on the offseason. They agreed to a trade with the Houston Texans to acquire receiver DeAndre Hopkins, a legitimate No. 1 weapon in the passing game. They agreed to a three-year, $30 million contract with defensive lineman Jordan Phillips.
What does this mean for them as the NFL draft approaches next month?
With the eighth pick in the draft, does their strategy change?
It was largely believed the Cardinals would used the pick on a receiver or on a tackle.
With the addition of Hopkins, one would think that receiver might not be on the table, leaving tackle as the obvious choice.
That makes sense, especially with Christian Kirk, Andy Isabella, KeeSean Johnson and Hakeem Butler already on the roster. However, they very well still could take a receiver. It seems less likely, but it could happen. Johnson and Butler were both Day 3 picks last year. Perhaps Kirk or Isabella would have a trade market.
Another player the Cardinals could have interest in is Auburn defensive lineman Derrick Brown. Some might think that adding Phillips would preclude them from taking Brown.
Since Arizona still needs at least one more starting-caliber defensive lineman, Brown could be the pick still. Some believe Brown isn’t worth a top-10 pick, so he might be a real option.
That said, basically nothing has really changed with their first-round pick.
The most ideal pick would be their favorite tackle, but nothing is really off the table except for a quarterback.
That’s exactly how you would like it to be for the first round of the draft.
Three-time NFL All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was shockingly traded to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday as free agency started.
Three-time NFL All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was reportedly traded to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday in a shocking deal that sent running back David Johnson to the Houston Texans, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Hopkins had spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Texans but the move was made on Monday as he is owed nearly $43 million over the next three years. The Texans had been in need of a star running back and acquired one in Johnson.
The deal occurred as the NFL opened up free agency on Monday as teams and players could officially negotiate contracts.
Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant showed love on Twitter to Hopkins, a fellow native of South Carolina, as the trade reportedly went down early in the afternoon.
Morant was among many that expressed their shock to the trade on social media on Monday as Hopkins has become arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL.
While Morant reacted to the trade, the Rookie of the Year frontrunner also made news of his own on Monday after filming a hilarious video of himself recreating his introduction in the Grizzlies’ starting lineup.
All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins thanked the city of Houston and Texans fans for his time with the AFC South organization.
The Houston Texans traded three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals for All-Pro running back David Johnson on Monday.
The move ended Hopkins’ seven-year career with the AFC South club, and the former 2013 first-round pick from Clemson expressed to Mark Berman of Fox 26 his immediate feelings on the matter.
“I would like to say Houston helped create not just a football player, but a man,” said Hopkins. “Houston gave me opportunities in life that I would have never got in a lot of places to better myself. I want to thank the city of Houston for always supporting the organization, no matter what happened and supporting us players through the ups and downs.
“Houston, always know there will be love in my heart despite this situation. It’s a business and there’s nothing personal about it. I gave it all I had. I wouldn’t take anything back. I don’t regret anything that’s happened so far in my career being a Houston Texan.
“Now it’s a new chapter in my life I’m looking forward to and very excited to be part of the Arizona Cardinals. All of the Houston fans that loved DeAndre Hopkins, make sure they still support DeAndre Hopkins.”
.@DeAndreHopkins after being traded by #Texans to Cardinals: “I would like to say Houston helped create not just a football player,but a man.Houston gave me opportunities n life that I would have never got n a lot of places to better myself.I want to thank the city of Houston..” pic.twitter.com/yDMN5Nv4vx
Hopkins is moving on with a new chapter of his life that includes teaming up with last year’s rookie of the year in quarterback Kyler Murray and lining up opposite of Larry Fitzgerald, the most consistent receiver of the past 15 years. Adding Hopkins gives the young field general more weapons to play with in addition to his unique playmaking skills with his feet. Also with the Cardinals’ proximity to Los Angeles, Hopkins will have greater access the fashion and entertainment world.
The Texans will have receivers Will Fuller, Keke Coutee, Kenny Stills, DeAndre Carter, and Steven Mitchell on the roster as players who saw action with the team in 2019.
NFL free agency will drastically help reshape the fantasy football landscape as the new league year begins.
(Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports)
Now that NFL free agency is upon us, here is where we’ll run through the fantasy football outlooks for trades, re-signings, midrange players and tag recipients.
This analysis will be updated as players sign/re-sign in free agency, so be sure to check back regularly.
QB Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans: A four-year, $118 million extension was signed on the eve of the tampering window, securing Tannehill’s role as the starting quarterback for the near future. He developed a rapport with 2019 rookie wideout A.J. Brown and has one of the best running games to keep defenses honest, provided Derrick Henry indeed signs his franchise tender and doesn’t pull a Le’Veon Bell. Tannehill is among the more intriguing back fantasy picks and will be chosen as a rotational starter by gamers willing to wait on the position.
QB Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings: There’s not a lot to say here since he wasn’t facing free agency, and Cousins’ 2020 situation doesn’t change by getting this extension (two years, $66 million). Keep tabs on Stefon Diggs possibly getting dealt, though. Cousins, for now, remains a top-tier backup with matchup utility, especially when it appears the Vikes may struggle to run the ball.
Franchise/TRANSITION tagged
QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys: Prescott will not be able to negotiate with any team but the Cowboys, and the goal is to work out a long-term deal. The offensive system will remain the same as in 2019 with Kellen Moore coming back as the playcaller under new head coach Mike McCarthy. Dak is a top-five fantasy quarterback if Amari Cooper returns.
RB Derrick Henry: Tennessee Titans: Unless Henry refuses to sign his tender and holds out most or all of the year, he will be the bell cow once again in Tennessee. There remains a chance he signs a long-term contract before things could get ugly. All things equal, short of losing his right tackle, life appears to be business as usual. RB1 all day long.
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WR A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals: A rookie quarterback as Cincy’s 2020 starter is all but etched into stone, which is a likely detriment for Green. However, he remains the most gifted wideout in an offense that won’t be scared to throw it when needed, so he has that working for him. Expect WR2 stats as a ceiling, and the combo of age and injuries are conspiring against Green.
TE Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers: This one isn’t as cut and dried as some of the above inclusions, because we don’t know LA’s quarterback for Week 1 yet. Some signs say Tom Brady, others suggest a rookie or even Tyrod Taylor as a stopgap. On talent alone, Henry is a midrange No. 1 in fantasy, but other factors, like an undeniable injury risk and this being the first full year of playcalling responsibility for Shane Steichen, should give owners pause.
RB Kenyan Drake, Arizona Cardinals: No more David Johnson, or his punitive salary, could lead to this transition tag be little more than formality before a long-term deal is reached. Drake exploded in this system late last year, and now the addition of WR DeAndre Hopkins has to get the juices flowing. Drake is risky, and now the Air Raid system may be fully deployed, which could force the former Miami Dolphin to be overly reliant on efficiency. Those concerns aside, don’t go overboard on draft day for a player whose career has largely been a disappointment, even if not entirely his fault. Give him the old RB2 treatment in all single-year formats.
