DeAndre Hopkins upset some with Cardinals at end of season?

Dec 6, 2020; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

After attempting to finagle a trade this offseason, the Arizona Cardinals finally cut their losses on Friday and released superstar wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

The release came as a shock to the NFL world, who widely expected the Cardinals to drum up a trade partner. But with a significant contract still attached to Hopkins, Arizona ultimately found no takers and their hand was forced. Now a top wideout hits the open market with organized team activates already underway throughout the NFL.

But the divorce between Hopkins and the Cardinals seemed inevitable. He sat out the final two games of the 2022 regular season despite being healthy and Kyle Odegard reports that rubbed some in the organization the wrong way.

DeAndre Hopkins upset some in the Cardinals organization by sitting out the final two games of the 2022 season even though he was healthy, per sources. It may have been a sticky situation if he remained with the team until the trade deadline.

— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) May 26, 2023

During the two-week stretch where Hopkins sat out, then-Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters that the wide receiver’s knee was “acting up.” However, Kingsbury also admitted that had things been different for the team at the time, Hopkins would have played.

The Cardinals finished the 2022 regular season with a record of 4-13 after losing their final seven games. Hopkins appeared in just nine contests, having been suspended for six weeks to start the season after violating the NFL’s Performance Enhancing Drug (PED) policy and then sitting out the final two games. He still managed to amass 64 receptions for 717 yards and three touchdowns.

With the release of Hopkins, the Cardinals assume a $22.6 million dead cap hit.