NFL Rumors: Could new wrinkle in DeAndre Hopkins saga interest Cowboys?

By trading for Brandin Cooks, the Dallas Cowboys accomplished what every fan demanded the second they shipped Amari Cooper to Cleveland. The trade came out of nowhere and amid rumors linking the Cowboys with a bevy of other receivers, including DeAndre Hopkins, Odell Beckham Jr., and even Jerry Jeudy.

Incredibly, there’s been zero movement on either of those wideouts.

Beckham is still a free agent, though it’s easy to connect the dots that he’ll end up with the Jets once the Aaron Rodgers trade is finalized. The Broncos, meanwhile, are adamant about not wanting to deal Jeudy or Courtland Sutton.

Hopkins, on the other hand, is still with the Cardinals. The front office insists they want to keep him, but in a perfect world a buyer comes forward and puts an end to this saga. Arizona would happily trade him if possible.

What if they’re ultimately not able to offload Hopkins, though?

There seems to be momentum building towards Hopkins getting released, as SI insider Albert Breer disclosed on the Greg Bedard Podcast.

Should the Cowboys sign DeAndre Hopkins if the Cardinals cut him?

"“Some teams think that Cardinals are going to cut him. They think the Cardinals will wind up cutting him.” Breer said, “His market is not great right now. There’s nobody who was willing to take on Hopkins’ contract and pay the Cardinals initial asking price.”"

The Cardinals initial asking price of a second-round pick and a compensatory pick simply isn’t happening. That’s a steep request to begin with. Throw the contract into equation, and it’s no wonder teams’ interest has dissipated, as Hopkins carries a $30 million cap hit and a $19.45 million base salary for 2023.

Hopkins purportedly was open to reworking his deal if the Cowboys traded for him, but that appears to be a moot point now.

Trading for Cooks seemingly took Dallas out of the running for another high-profile receiver. Two WR trades in one offseason would be bold for any team — let alone a franchise run by the cap-obsessed Jones family.

Would signing Hopkins as a free agent be of any interest to the Cowboys? It’s impossible to say, but it’s undeniably more attractive given he’ll likely come a lot cheaper than his current deal and won’t cost any further draft capital.

Of course, there’s the draft variable to consider as well.

Dallas is doing its due diligence on several of this year’s top wideouts, setting up top 30 visits with TCU’s Quentin Johnson, Boston College’s Zay Flowers, UNC’s Josh Downs, Ole Miss’ Jonathan Mingo, and Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt, while setting up a private workout with Houston’s Tank Dell.

What say you, Cowboys fans: Should Dallas draft a receiver or make another all-in move by signing Hopkins if he’s released?

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