NFL Rumors: Cowboys check every box on DeAndre Hopkins’ trade wishlist

Once upon a time this offseason, the Dallas Cowboys were linked with a trade for DeAndre Hopkins. They ended up acquiring Brandin Cooks, though trading for Hopkins made sense for the same reasons: the Cardinals asking price was dirt cheap and Hopkins was open to adjusting the last two years of his contract.

While Dallas itself didn't show much interest in Hopkins, Micah Parsons did his best on social media to manifest a Hopkins trade and former Cowboys great Dez Bryant recruited the three-time All-Pro during their multiple training sessions.

Since then, it's been quiet on the Hopkins front.

The receiver seemingly recommitted to Arizona for the upcoming season, but that changed this week when he skipped Cardinals OTAs.

Not only that, but Hopkins appeared on the I AM ATHLETE podcast and revealed what he's looking for with his potential next team. Even the many Cowboys haters out there would admit Dallas checks every box on Hopkins' list.

Cowboys have everything DeAndre Hopkins wants in a potential trade

“What I want is stable management upstairs,” Hopkins said. “I think that’s something I haven’t really had the past couple years of my career coming from Houston and then to Arizona. I’ve been through three or four GMs in my career, so a stable management. A QB who loves the game, a QB who brings everybody on board with him and pushes not just himself but everybody around him . . . and a great defense. A great defense wins championships.”

Like we said, Dallas checks every box.

Say what you will about Jerry Jones, but he runs a buttoned-up front office. Everyone knows their role and receives the utmost respect. Nothing showed this more than when Dallas allowed Chris Vaughn to make the call to his son Deuce Vaughn to inform him Cowboys were drafting him.

We don't have to delve too much into Dak Prescott. His leadership and off-field intangibles are everything you could want in a quarterback.

Finally, if Dallas' defense isn't great, it's pretty darn close. They had the most takeaways in the league last season with 33, allowed the sixth-fewest points per game, had the highest pressure rate of any team at 25.5% and finished third with 54 sacks.

It stands to reason the Cowboys' defense will be even better in 2023 after they traded for Stephon Gilmore and drafted Mazi Smith.

Are we expecting Dallas to pursue Hopkins? Probably not, but if his trade market is still slow-moving, it couldn't hurt to kick the tires because the WR room has a ton of question marks behind CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks.