While the writing was on the walls that DeAndre Hopkins was not going to be in Arizona in 2023, it’s still shocking to see one of the best receivers of this century leave his second team without receiving much of a return.

But with the Cardinals willing to eat $22.6 million in Dead Cap to begin the cleaning out of their roster, the 5-time Pro Bowler will look for a new home.

Hopkins only played 9 games last season after serving a suspension for PEDs, but in those games with Kyler Murray, Colt McCoy, Trace McSorely and David Blough all throwing him passes, he still combined for 64 catches and 717 yards, with 3 scores.

But entering his age 31 season and only playing 19 games in the past 2 years, there’s a chance that Hopkins is closer to the receiver he was from 2017-2020 than he is the smaller sample sizes in the past 2 years.

However, this is never how NFL scouting seems to work on skill positions north of 30-years-old, especially with injury history.

So, it’s very unlikely Hopkins will receive more than a one year deal, unless there is a strong bidding war.

But even with a presumed battle for the 6’1 vertical threat, the bidding will instead be for how much that year is worth. And thankfully for Hopkins and his agency, the Ravens new weapon might have set a perfect bar for himself.

If a contender floated a 1-year, $15 million contract layered with incentives, it would make sense to see Hopkins run with that deal.

But after Odell Beckham Jr. signed this deal after not playing a snap since the 2022 Super Bowl, with $13.8 million being guaranteed, Hopkins can ask for atleast $18 million guaranteed.

This is no dig to Beckham and his ability to be a threat in Baltimore’s offense. But for a former WR1 at the tail end of his career in an offense led by a mobile quarterback and a tight end producing most of the arial attack, it goes to show how much they believe in an aging wideout with knee issues.

It may take him most of the offseason to finally see a deal worth singing, but for a player that combined for 430 catches, 5,522 yards and 37 touchdowns in a 4-year span that according to the film has not regressed much since then, Hopkins could be a finishing piece to a contender.