All-Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins didn’t get the extension he wanted with Houston Texans, but Arizona Cardinals didn’t mind giving him one before he even suited up for the franchise.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Hopkins and the Cardinals finalized an extension agreement, which will add two years on Hopkins’ deal and has $54.5 million in new money. Reportedly, the 28-year-old WR handled the negotiations himself and will get $42.75M guaranteed at signing.
DeAndre Hopkins signed his most recent deal in 2017, getting a five-year, $81 million extension from Texans. But despite having three more years left on his contract, Hopkins approached the team with demands for a new deal after the end of the 2019 season. Houston opted against it and ended up shipping him to Arizona alongside a fourth-rounder in exchange for running back David Johnson, 2020 second-round pick, and a 2021 fourth-round pick.
Cardinals, on the other hand, knew that they would have to pay Hopkins when they acquired him and apparently decided to get that out of the way before the 2020 NFL Season kicks off.
Currently, Atlanta Falcons’ Julio Jones is the game’s highest-earning wideout with a $22 million annual salary, while Dallas Cowboys’ Amari Cooper ($20 million yearly), and New Orleans Saints’ Michael Thomas ($19.25 million yearly) sit second and third respectively. Hopkins’ old deal averages $16.2 million a year.
Since entering the league as the first-round pick in 2013, Hopkins has been one of the game’s most productive wideouts. He racked up 632 receptions for 8,602 receiving yards and 54 touchdowns while playing all-but-two games. This brought him four Pro Bowl appearances and four All-Pro selections.
